


Soulbonds and Fairy Dust

by Nekoamamori



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avenger Loki (Marvel), F/M, Fae & Fairies, Loki - Freeform, Loki Odinson - Freeform, Loki x Sigyn - Freeform, fae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:40:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 58,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25101049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nekoamamori/pseuds/Nekoamamori
Summary: One of the fae decides to help out the Avengers.  But there is more to this aid than what it first appears.
Relationships: Loki & Sigyn, Loki/Sigyn, Loki/Sigyn (Marvel)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 131





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite of the work with the same name. 
> 
> Colab with Bre. Thank you so much! :)

The fae woman knew she had to keep a low profile.The courts were still looking for her.She’d been hiding in the human realm for years by that point.So she hid her pointed ears, wore contacts and illusions over her eyes, and claimed she dyed her hair the Seelie red.

She tried to keep a low low profile.

Really, really, she tried.

But she’d ended up in New York and things just... happened in New York.

There was so much metal around that it dulled her presence from those who were hunting her, though it seemed to dull her magic as well.She had to ration a lot more carefully than she ever had in Underhill, but she made due in order to be safe.

It also didn’t help that she lived a whole three blocks from the Avenger’s tower.

Bad things just seemed _drawn_ to the Avengers.And they were just so... inept wasn’t quite the right word, but they were untrained, inelegant about fighting those bad things. And she... wasn’t, not after everything she’d been through in her life.

So it was really _their_ fault that she kept jumping in to help them when she saw them fighting. Especially if it looked like they needed help. Granted, they _always_ looked like they needed help. Besides, she was a trained warrior as well as being one of the fae and therefore a more than proficient mage.

Plus it was fun to jump in, help, and vanish again before she got caught up with them.

Or worse.

Caught.

*

Everything changed when the Avengers added a new member.The fae lady couldn’t help watching the new member with appreciation, and… more.He was a slim man with raven hair and green, gold, and black armor.He looked so… familiar… like she’d known him for centuries, but she couldn’t quite place how or why.

Obviously, she recognized Loki from the alien attack a year and a half ago. If she ever met him, she’d have to thank him for that; but, he seemed more familiar than from just seeing him on TV screens.

Still, she jumped in to help them, to help him.Something drove her to help him more than the others.Something drew her to him.She teleported in front of him and killed a monster for him. His eyes widened in shock at her appeared.“Lady Fae! Wait!” he called before she could vanish. She saw passing interest in his eyes, intrigue, and was that the same touch of familiarity that she felt?He recognized her, just as she recognized him.

But how? 

Why?

She knew then, though, that he had the same goal as the others: to bring her in. She didn’t know why or how they were planning on doing that. Why the Avengers wanted her so badly when all she’d done was help them.But she knew that was their goal.

And not her desired outcome.

Not with the hell she’d been through in Underhill.

*

The team needed help.

Again.

They were fighting monsters downtown and they were currently scattered as they tried to regroup. Loki was the only one she could see at the moment. And was about to get his ass blasted with fire from one of the hellhounds. So she allowed her form to shimmer, green dragonscales appearing on her body as she jumped into the fray. She'd stay just long enough to help them and then get the hell out of dodge. That was her usual plan and it worked out well for her so far.She just had to not get caught.She blocked the ball of fire from Loki using her own forearms as shields. With dragon scales as armor, the fire couldn’t do any damage to her. Loki was a frost giant. She knew no one was supposed to know that, especially with the illusions he hid himself under.It was a secret, but he was the prince of Jotunheim. She could see it in his truename. "Go!" she told him firmly "Fire can't hurt me!”

She knew the team had warned Loki to apprehend the strange magical fae girl at the end of the battle if he ever saw her. She tended to use her magic more than her blades, though she was equally skilled with both. They could never manage to catch her. She fled too quickly and they always waited until the evil was defeated before they attempted it. It gave her plenty of time to flee.At least from her point of view.

Loki wasn’t so accommodating.

Loki zeroed in on her the moment she appeared. He had been warned about the fae woman and how she helped the team and that they had to bring her in before Shield decided to step in for themselves to capture the rogue magic-user.He was intrigued by her and something seemed so familiar.It had since the first time he saw her and he didn’t know why. He also knew of so very few fae in existence. It wasn’t that hard to figure out she was one of them. She looked the part with her delicately pointed ears, sidhe red hair, and tri-colored eyes of gold, emerald green, and jade green. As with any of the long-lived races, it was hard to tell her age, though she looked to be in her twenties, as humans measured ages.

Loki didn’t wait until she’d finished helping them to confront her. He could fight the monsters and confront the fae at the same time. She would have less of a chance to escape that way.“You need to come with us, Lady Fae!” he told her firmly. He knew of her habit of running and didn’t seem willing to let her flee, especially when he knew that Shield and the team were after her. It was safer for her to come with him now.

“How about no?” she replied a bit snarkily as she threw ice at the hellhound, subduing it. Her form shimmered, losing the dragon scales so she was in her 'natural' form again. “That's not how this works. I jump in, help you lot, and get out of here _before_ I get captured and experimented on again,” she told Loki just as firmly. He was new to this game, so clearly he needed the explanation. She threw a couple of bolts of magic, cast a couple of quick spells to subdue the worst of the monsters, and since Loki’s attention was still on her, allowed her fairy wings to grow from her back. She flapped them a couple of times to flee before she was caught.

She nearly missed the quick piece of magic he worked. It was an impressive feat of magic and she wasn’t sure she had seen better in centuries. Unfortunately, he chose to bind her feet to the ground before she could take off. “You are not the only one with magic here, Lady Fae. You would do well to come with us,” he insisted, but gentled his tone some.He knew what it was like to be captured, to be held against one’s will.He didn’t want to do the same to her, but it was necessary.

“Let me go!” she told him firmly, practically shrieking with rage at being held, already fraying his magic with her own power. She had to get out of there before the team finished with the rest of the monsters. She didn’t think she could take them all if they worked together. They may be borderline inept, but they still usually managed to get the job done eventually.And she didn’t want all of their focus on her.

Loki raised an eyebrow, watching her curiously.“Why flee after helping the team? What are you so afraid of, little one?” he asked her gently. His accent and voice were so familiar. Something about the way he said ‘little one’ triggered something, some old hint of a memory. She couldn’t quite place it.Why was his accent so familiar?

“I'd really rather not getting experimented on again,” she told him grumpily while her magic frayed the bindings he placed on her. “I _just_ got out of Underhill and the lovely treatment of the fae there 2 years ago. I do _not_ want to go back to that kind of life,” she informed him, spilling more to him than she ever would have to anyone else. Why was her tongue so loose around him? Why in the nine realms did he seem so familiar? Odin’s beard this day was strange.

Odin’s beard?Where had that curse come from?

He chuckled in reply, again, it sounded so commonplace, that particular sound, though, not quite the same, something about it had changed. “And you actually believe these fools would experiment on you? What do you know of the Avengers?” He asked her, curious and seeming not to realize what she was doing to his spell.

“They fight monsters and things attacking the city. And are incompetent oafs about it, though they mean well. I know nothing about that Shield organization that they insist wants to get to know me. So I help them out if I'm around and then flee so I don't have to find out what Shield _does_ want with me,” she told him as she finally snapped his spell and took off with a couple of flaps of her wings before he could try that nasty trick again. Though trickery was in his nature. Wasn’t it?

Now, why did she know that?

She heard his groan of frustration and saw him teleport away as she flew from the scene, not risking getting caught.

He fought not to roar in frustration at losing her.Again.At losing his chance to get to know the intriguing little fae who seemed so... familiar. So he decided to just teleport back to his room at the tower, not wanting to deal with the team, not wanting to face his failure. 

Thor caught up with him after the rest of the monsters had been defeated. “You lost the Fae Lady?” Thor asked him, gently for the usually boisterous thunderer.He was clearly wondering how his brother had managed to lose the fae lady, especially with all of Loki’s magic at his disposal.Loki should have been able to stop her and Thor had stressed how important it was that she be brought in. “I fear we are running out of time to bring her in safely. Shield believes she has too much power to be out in the world alone,” Thor added, hoping to press upon his brother how important it was that he not fail the next time they spotted her. Though he’d already beaten this point into his brother already.Loki was their only hope of getting her in safely.“They are talking of hunting her down...”

Loki rolled his eyes. “She surprised me. We need to convince her to come in instead of trying to capture her. And if you wish for her help, you need to make sure Shield has nothing to do with this, brother. She will not come if she feels the team wishes to do her harm,” Loki reminded him. Again.His brother really was an idiot.

Thor huffed. “As if I wish to do her harm. I wish for her to be here where she will be safe with us. You have gotten the closest to her since we first saw her...” he added softly. The fae lady really didn’t stick around no matter what they tried.

She really did _not_ want to be captured again.


	2. Chapter 2

The fae lady showed up to another fight with the team. It was getting more and more dangerous as Loki was keeping an eye out for her. It was difficult to get in and out without being caught, especially as he had the habit of dropping everything to confront her the moment she arrived at the battle. He very nearly caught her and would have, had he been trying to hurt her.

If he hadn’t been trying to restrain her instead of actually harming her.

She had to be more careful.

*

A few days later, she was leaving the coffee shop with her takeout cup of morning desperation, and admittedly wasn’t _exactly_ paying attention to where she was walking. And maybe reading a news article on her phone while she was walking wasn’t the _best_ idea ever when walking out of the shop onto the busy street.

Granted, people usually didn’t walk that close to the building, not wanting to get hit by the doors of the shops on the street.

So it was a series of unfortunate events that led to her walking into the thin, extremely well-dressed man in the all-black suit. She only barely avoided spilling her coffee on him, and it was battle reflexes and her supernatural abilities that managed that. She knew he was well dressed when she saw his shiny black dress shoes, which were the first thing in her vision since she’d been looking at her phone. His hand reached out to steady her as her face show up to see how angry he was.“Oh gods, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” she asked him quickly.

She blanched when she saw the too familiar raven black hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes of Loki. Of course, she recognized him from seeing him every battle she helped out in.

She saw his expression change from the frustrated anger of being bumped into, to recognition, to interest, excitement. He smirked, his hand was still on her arm, over her coat, appearing as if he were supporting her from bumping into him, but there was a slight shift of his hand so he was keeping her from fleeing before he was ready for the conversation to be over. At least it would be more difficult for her to escape without drawing unwanted attention.

“Well, this is certainly a surprise,” he told her pleasantly, his too-familiar accent so pleasant to her ears. She felt the strange desire to relax at his purred words. And she had to fight it, fight not to let herself get drawn in to him.

What the Hel? Odin’s beard, why was he so familiar?

“What are you doing here, Lady Fae?” He asked pleasantly, still with no intention of letting her go.

She took a nervous step back, but he wasn't being outwardly hostile, so she gave him a very tentative smile and held up her coffee. “Getting coffee, your highness” she replied. She was cautious of him, but she also knew who he was, besides just from the alien attack. She did her research on the team after all. Plus it annoyed her that he was so familiar.

There was so much she had blocked from her memory to keep herself and others safe. She knew that much, but not what those memories contained. She hadn’t dared figure out the magic to retrieve them again.

She’d had to lock them away in order to survive.

Loki raised an eyebrow. He clearly wasn’t used to being called by his title on Earth. “So you know who I am. Good. That’ll make this a bit easier,” he told her and seemed to be plotting while his hand moved down her arm to wrap viselike around her wrist, still on top of her coat, but she still wasn’t escaping without a fight. He wasn’t hurting her, but he wasn’t letting her get out of talking with him either.

“That'll make what easier exactly?” she asked him warily. She could break his grip on her wrist if she really wanted to. But she had to admit that she was intrigued about why he seemed so familiar. And they were in public and the last thing she wasn’t to do was cause a scene.

“Would you be up to a chat, Lady Fae?” he asked her pleasantly, kindly even. Their postures kept those passing them thinking this was a pleasant conversation. “I have a warning for you. Not from me, but from the organization I am being forced to work for,” he explained.

She sighed and checked her watch. She had still had a little time. “Very well,” she said warily. She gestured to the coffee shop behind her. “Would you like to get a cup of coffee? Or tea?” She wasn’t going anywhere alone with him, not when the team was after her, and he was _on_ said team. He seemed nice enough without the rest of them, but there was no reason to take chances.

He inclined his head regally. “Tea would be appreciated. Thank you,” he told her and let go of her wrist once it was clear she wasn’t running. At least not until she’d heard him out.

She nodded and turned to head into the coffee shop. He moved to hold the door open for her, a gentleman despite being regal. She gave him a small smile for his courtesy, unused to it on Midgard. She went up to the counter and ordered and bought the tea for him and picked a quiet table in the corner for them to sit and chat. She removed her hat and second-hand coat. Everything she had was second-hand and she looked like a ragamuffin compared to the extremely attractive Loki in his well-tailored suit. She made sure her sidhe red hair fell in such a way that the points of her ears were covered as usual. She didn’t want to draw too much attention.

She noticed Loki examining her closely. He took in her second hand-clothes, her too-thin appearance, her fae looks. She could see his curiosity, though his face was a mask that would be at home in the fae courts. Yet, she could read his expression clearly. Like she’d had practice reading him. “So, why hide among the Midgardians? A being as beautiful as you should not have to hide what they are among others so inferior,”

She tried not to huff and roll her eyes at his obviously over the top flattery. “I escaped the fae not so very long ago. I try not to draw too much attention to myself, at least not attention that they’ll notice. The easiest way is to hide among the mortals and refrain from as much magic as possible,” she explained softly with a shrug, sipping on her coffee.

He furrowed his brows, his court mask slipping that much, giving her that much of an expression. “Why escape the fae? You are one of them, are you not?” he asked, curious and... more? Something seemed off about the question, like he had that same sense of almost-recognition as she had.

She shook her head. “I'm not, actually, not originally. They kidnapped me as a child. The fae don't procreate easily and their numbers were dwindling...” she shrugged at his horrified expression. That was just how the fae were, there was nothing she could do about the past. “Some of their mages thought they could turn non-fae children into fae,”

“So you are actually Midgardian?” he asked, his curiosity overriding his pretense at disinterest and court mask. He was openly curious over her now. Something seemed to be bothering him about her, the same way something about him was still bothering her and she still couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It seemed he couldn’t either.

She shrugged, a bit embarrassed. “I don't remember actually... It's been... 500 mortal years or so, and I had to repress a lot of memories to keep my family safe from the fae after I was taken...” she admitted softly. She didn’t know why she was opening up so much to him, there was no logical reason for it. She tried to convince himself it was because he had cornered her, but that wasn’t exactly right.

He nodded in acceptance of her words and didn’t press her further, not on that. He sipped on his tea while he gathered his words, to get to the point of this conversation. “I should inform you that Shield plans to hunt you down if you do not come with me. I do not wish for that to happen after what you just told me,” a fae who’d been kidnapped once was a dangerous creature at the thought of being kidnapped again. “If you come willingly, the team will do whatever they can to protect you from them, but that is only if you come willingly,” he told her, his voice firm, but with a hint of hidden kindness. He didn’t _want_ to hurt her. He seemed to want her safe. “This is a courtesy, mind. I could just as easily take you in now. Do you understand?”

Well, that just sounded threatening. Though he would have a hard time taking her in. She could fight and likely win. She’d seen him fight when she was helping the team. She wouldn’t bruise the poor boy’s ego, especially since she had known for a while that she was running out of time and would have to meet the Avengers eventually.

She sighed. It really had been only a matter of time before they pulled the big guns out. “I accept that you can... _probably._.. take me in,” he probably could if he wanted to really fight her for the pleasure, which she didn’t think he did. “How about a compromise instead? I'll come to the tower and hear out the team. _After_ I get off of work at 3 this afternoon. I'd rather not compromise my mortal cover if I can help it, just in case. It would be a pain to make a new one,” he looked like he was going to protest. He wanted her in and... safe… if she were reading his expression correctly, as soon as possible. It was strange to think a stranger wanted her safe. Before he could protest, she pulled a ring off her finger to hand to him. “A token of my goodwill. That is the only thing I have from before I was kidnapped and I expect it back this afternoon,” she told him firmly. The ring was black with a purple jewel and even though she’d looked 7 or so by Midgardian standards when she’d been taken, it had never stopped fitting her, had grown with her. And the fae hadn’t been able to take it from her as she was the only one who could remove it.

His eyes widened in surprise and what appeared to be recognition at her ring. “Where did you get this?” he demanded, shocked.

She glared at him before he got any ideas. “It’s mine,” she told him firmly. “I was wearing it the day I was taken and the fae couldn't take it from me. That and my name were the only things I got to keep,” she informed him, though she wondered why he was surprised at her ring, and why he seemed to recognize it.

He slid her ring onto the ring finger of his right hand, and it fit because of magic. She felt a pang at being without it, since it was her only tangible memory of home and had been her only reminder for centuries. But she wouldn’t risk the life she’d built, such as it was, just because of a chance meeting with the Avengers. She wasn’t going to risk everything for a meeting that might not work out. “I shall return it to you this afternoon and will inform you of its importance then,” Loki promised and she could hear the sincerity in his words. He may be the god of lies, but he was capable of telling the truth. Plus no one could successfully lie to a fae, not even him.

She nodded and checked her watch. “Very well,” she agreed, no matter how hesitantly. She would get her ring back. Even if she had to tear down the entire Avenger’s tower to do so. “I should get to work before I’m late. Until later, Prince Loki of Asgard,” she stood and gathered her things before he changed his mind about letting her leave without a fuss. She waved as she headed out of the coffee shop, amused that he hadn’t even gotten her name.

He’d been distracted indeed.

*

Loki watched her leave, curiosity obvious in his expression, but he didn’t stop her from shrugging on her coat and rushing off to work. He teleported back to the tower; he needed to speak with his brother regarding the ring she’d given him.

Thor looked up from the newspaper he was reading when Loki teleported back into the common room of the tower. “Feeling better?” he asked, knowing Loki had been getting ready to stab someone when he'd stormed out of the tower earlier. He’d been storming through the streets of New York in a fit of emotion when the fae had run into him. Sometimes he just needed fresh air to keep from being stabby.

He gave Thor a hostile glare in reply. Thor shrugged it off, that’s just how Loki was. Loki sighed. He really _did_ need to speak with his brother, which meant brushing his manners off for a while longer. He slipped the fae lady’s ring off his finger as he walked over to Thor. “Does this look familiar to you?” he asked Thor, holding out his hand with the ring in his palm. She’d entrusted the ring to his care, he wasn’t compromising that trust, even with his brother.

Thor stood and examined the ring, careful not to take it, reading that much from Loki’s body language. “That looks like an Asgardian noble lady's ring. And I'm sure you haven't been off proposing to noble ladies while you’ve been out of the tower... where'd you find that? And whose colors are those?” Thor asked confused as he looked over the ring, as if the colors should be familiar. He looked at Loki expectantly.

Loki huffed and rolled his eyes. “How should I know? I did not make a study of the colors of the noble families of Asgard. This belongs to the fae lady I have been tasked with bringing in,” he sounded bitter about that task. She was far too intriguing to hunt down like an animal and force in. He was glad that she had agreed to come so he didn’t have to force her. “She will be visiting the tower this afternoon and gave me her ring to hold onto as a symbol of goodwill that she would arrive as she promised,” he explained.

Thor shrugged. “You know more about all the court politics than I do. Thought you might have an idea. Or her name since she gave you her ring...” Loki flushed at the reminder that he’d been too preoccupied to get her name, which was a massive oversight on his part. It was Thor’s turn to roll his eyes. “I best inform Stark and the Captain that she will be arriving. You’re sure she won’t just run?” he asked, disappointed that Loki hadn’t brought her in while he had the chance.

“I informed her of the threat of Shield chasing after her. She does not wish for that. Plus I have her ring and she was quite insistent that she will come to get it back if nothing else,” Loki replied overly patiently for his oaf of a brother. He didn’t seem to understand that she’d given the ring as a symbol of good faith that she’d come after work. She would keep her word.

Plus she was a fae. She would keep her word.

Thor nodded. “Very well. I will inform the others,” he knew that even after months of being here, the team didn’t much like or trust Loki yet. It was better if he smoothed things over instead.

*

Around 3:30 that afternoon, as promised, the fae lady entered the lobby of the tower after she’d walked over from her job. She didn’t need to look up directions, she only lived a few blocks away and it was really hard to miss the tower. She wasn’t surprised that Loki was waiting in the lobby for her. He gave her a smile when she entered the lobby, glad she hadn’t flaked on him. “It is good to see you again,” he greeted her politely, all court manners and polish. He definitely reminded her of a fae lord. And more.

She stepped closer and gave him a smile. “And you as well,” he seemed nice enough and hadn’t hurt her. In fact, he’d gone out of his way to help her when he hadn’t had to. He could have dragged her straight to Shield if he’d wanted. He’d have had a hell of a fight about it, but he _could_ have done so.

He smirked at her before he spoke again. “It has come to my attention that I have not yet gotten your name, Lady Fae,” he told her, making the statement into a question. One that demanded an answer

She hesitated only a moment, tempted to give him her Midgardian alias, but he would be able to hear the... not lie, but not the complete truth. She had a thing about names, but he deserved to know hers. “My name is Sigyn,” she finally told him.

His eyes went wide in shock? horror? complete and utter disbelief? when she spoke those words. He grabbed her wrist over her coat again and practically dragged her into the elevator while she yelped in surprise and tugged to get her wrist out of his grip. He gave her a look to stop her from fighting him. He wasn’t letting her go no matter what she said or did. For whatever reason, her name had caused this frantic reaction from him. The only explanation he gave was:

“We need to go see my brother. Now.” 


	3. Chapter 3

“Hey!” she protested, tugging on her wrist, trying to get it out of Loki’s cold vice-like grip.Unfortunately, he was stronger than she was.And he was dragging her further into the building.There was no question in his body language or the bruising grip on her that she wasn’t getting away.Not without truly hurting him.Whatever her words had sparked was riding him hard.He wasn’t letting her out of his sight again. 

He also annoyingly still had her ring, so it would be a pain to flee now. She would just have to sneak back to claim her ring later, which was easier said than done when a magician was involved.He ignored her protests and kept his grip on her wrist firm as he dragged her into the elevator at the back of the reception area.He was silent the entire ride up the tower, and dragged her out into what appeared to be a living room with a huge tv and too many couches and comfy chairs spread around it.

“Let me go!” she protested again, yanking harder against the hand holding her wrist.She really didn’t want to force him through violence. His grip should _not_ have been that strong on her overtop of her coat.She didn’t want to force him to let her go, but she would if he didn’t knock it off and start explaining things.

Soon.

“Please do not fight me, Lady Fae. This is important,” Loki told her firmly, but not unkindly, just in a tone that told her clearly that he expected to be obeyed. She noted that while he was holding her firmly, he wasn’t hurting her, not really.He just wasn’t letting her escape.It was almost as if he were afraid of losing her if he wasn’t physically holding onto her.

She huffed, “Fine,” she grumbled and walked with him into the common room.Struggling wasn’t going to help matters any. Not if she wanted answers or her ring back.

Thor was waiting for them in the common room and stood when they entered. He had been so excited when Loki had said he wished to meet the fae lady downstairs. He was glad Loki had finally wanted to do something, anything. That that activity had to do with another person was an even better sign.Though Thor stiffened when he saw her wrist firmly in Loki’s grip; that was unacceptable behavior towards a guest. “Brother, that is not how you treat a guest...” he told Loki, his tone dry, but trying to keep the situation from turning violent. He didn’t care for how the fae lady was being treated any more than she did.

Something about the two men’s interaction brought back a memory of two boys, one with black hair in a green tunic, the other was blond in a red tunic having some kind of argument. She was standing nearby huffing in exasperation at her silly boys. Not her sons, no, her friends. She had been the same size as them.

Now, where had that memory come from?

“Brother, now is not the time for you to berate me, you will understand my actions in a moment,” Loki told him, his voice calm as his hand remained clamped around her wrist, his grip not loosening at all, as if he were afraid she would disappear if he let she go. “Lady Fae, please inform my brother of your name,” he addressed her pleasantly, gently.There was a sense of caring and something that could easily be mistaken for love.Had they actually known each other. 

She huffed at Loki’s treatment of her and hoped there would be explanations soon. “My name is Sigyn, what of it?” she grumbled and watched Thor’s eyes go wide after she said her name.

“You see why I did not wish to risk losing her again now that I have found her?” Loki asked his brother with desperation in his voice.Thor nodded, but didn’t say anything yet as Loki turned to her and finally dropped her wrist. “I apologize for my rough treatment, lady. I was surprised when I heard your name. There was a young noble lady on Asgard by the name of Sigyn who went missing around 500 years ago, we presumed her dead. She had been my best friend,” he added that part softly and she wasn’t sure she or Thor were meant to hear those words. She saw the haunted look and pain in his eyes and all she wanted to do was go hug him.

That was a strange reaction for someone used to being alone.

“You think I’m you missing Sigyn, though surely the name can’t be that uncommon…” she said softly, the pieces coming together from what he’d said so far. He thought her his long lost friend. She couldn’t just accept it without any form of evidence, though, so she had to bring up the question.

Loki shook his head.“The name was never very popular on Asgard, and became nearly taboo to use after y-she,” he corrected quickly, very nearly saying ‘you’ to her.He couldn’t let himself have that much hope, not yet.Not without proof.“disappeared,”

Sigyn wished she could remember more of her childhood, but she couldn’t yet. She’d had to hide the memories even from herself. A golden lady had taught her that piece of magic when she was a child. When she was teaching the black-haired boy.

Her memories were coming back slowly in the presence of these two men.

“You told me earlier that you were taken when you were younger, you said 500 or so mortal years, and don’t remember where you’re from,” Loki added gently to the fae lady, to the lady who looked nothing like his Sigyn, but… still seemed so familiar.He was also explaining for Thor’s benefit. The pieces were falling into place and it seemed more and more likely as the conversation went on. “The timeline fits, especially from a child’s memory…Sig was only 500 when she was taken from us,”

“True,” she agreed softly, “I had to hide my memories, even from myself to protect the people back home from the fae,” she added just as softly.She had a feeling that with these revelations, she definitely wasn’t leaving their care. She had a feeling they were right, but there was no proof. How could there be?

“Can you find your memories again?” Thor asked her gently, and gods he sounded so familiar, with that overly protective brotherly tone and the true concern in his words.

She nodded, concentration in her eyes. “Given time I can, but not soon enough to answer your questions as fast as I’d like,” she explained, Loki nodded along, seeming to know exactly what magic she’d used to hide her memories all of those years ago. He was a magician, of course, he knew, or had a good idea.

Thor looked to Loki. “How do we find out the truth?” he asked Loki just as gently. He didn’t want Loki hurt if she wasn’t really his long lost best friend. The longer Loki was left to hope she was his Sigyn, the more broken-hearted he would be if she weren’t.And Loki had already tried to kill himself once in recent history.

Loki considered that and both Sigyn and Thor could practically see the gears in his mind turning as he thought over the situation. “I would suggest I help her unlock her memories through magic, but I am not sure that is wise as I have never tried to look into the mind of a fae. I can contact Mother and see if she has any ideas,” Loki finally replied cautiously.He didn’t want to take risks, not with this, not with potentially hurting his Sigyn.

“Can you contact Mother from here?” Thor asked a bit incredulously. It was incredibly far from Midgard to Asgard, especially without using the Bifrost’s power. He wasn’t sure whether to believe Loki’s skill could truly reach home. “Is her ring enough of a clue? It is a noble lady’s ring, and they contain magic, do they not?” Thor was trying to come up with a solution that didn’t mean Loki had to contact Frigga between the realms.He didn’t quite believe Loki could do it as easily as he was claiming. Loki was a known liar, especially when it came to solving a mystery he wanted solved.And Loki was desperate to find out if she were his long lost best friend. 

Desperate was an understatement.

“Mother and I are connected from any distance. She taught me my magic, you oaf. Yes, the rings have magic in them, spells to make sure they grow with the wearer and a protection spell on them. It protects them until they hand over the ring to the one who owns their heart,” Loki explained to his brother, though the fae took in the information as well.The information was familiar, known, but still so new to her.

Thor sighed and grumbled at his brother. “I am merely throwing out suggestions of easier ways to solve the mystery than trying to reach across the realms with magic.” The fae had been watching them silently, unobtrusively.She was quite practiced at not drawing undue attention to herself and was taking in all of the ‘new’ information as they spoke.

Loki’s eyes glazed over a little as he spoke telepathically with Frigga. Sigyn and Thor couldn’t hear the conversation, though Loki had to draw enough power and concentration that its as obvious what he was up to. /Mother, can you hear me?/ he asked her as he made the reach between the realms.

/I can hear you, darling. Is there trouble?/ Frigga replied, concerned that Loki would be contacting her from Midgard.There was no other reason she could think of for Loki to be contacting her over such a long distance except for some kind of trouble.

/Not exactly…/ he paused, nervous to explain now that it was time to find out the truth. He didn’t want to lose the hope he had built that this fae lady really _was_ his Sigyn. /There is a fae lady here who says her name is Sigyn, though we do not know if she is the same Sigyn Thor and I knew when we were younger, the same Sigyn we lost.We could use your help in confirming the truth for her/ He really meant ‘for me’, but left those words unspoken.He knew his mother would understand.

/Why would a fae lady be our missing Sigyn? Though that name is not common. It lost favor with the people after our Sigyn went missing/ she paused while she considered how to test the lady for Loki./Though it is easy enough for me to confirm or deny. I assume she is there with you. Have her perform a piece of Asgardian magic, if she can. I taught Sigyn when you were both children so I can recognize her magic, just as I can yours/ As long as Frigga was linked with Loki she would be able to feel the fae’s power.

Loki looked at Sigyn, which was more than a little weird with his eyes glazed with magic as they were.“Lady Fae, would you be willing to perform a piece of magic for me? My mother will be able to confirm or deny your identity from that, since she taught Sigyn magic when we were children,” his voice was a little monotonous when he spoke while still in trance.

“A-alright,” she replied shyly.She wasn’t used to dealing with, or really being around people.She only had a couple of friends on Midgard and liked to keep it that way.She created a little illusion rose.It was the first little spell she thought of and was the magic of her childhood, not from her powers as fae, somehow understanding the request from Loki’s question, though he hadn’t stated it.

/That is our Sigyn!/ Frigga confirmed, sounding excited that she was back from the dead.Of course, she was excited.Frigga adopted all children who came into her life, especially the ones who came into her children’s lives.

/Thank you, Mother/ Loki replied and ended the connection before it drained his powers too much to keep it open.Even he had trouble holding the connection across the realms.

He turned to Sigyn properly and she saw unshed tears of joy in his eyes.“Mother confirmed it. You are of Asgard and the same Sigyn we knew when we were children,” he told her, with joy in his expression, though she had the feeling he hadn’t experienced joy in a long, long while.Sig and Thor both stared at him in disbelief, but it just clicked with her as the truth, fae could hear lies after all.Though she vowed that she was going to regain her blocked memories as soon as possible to know for sure herself.

But she remembered something… “You’re the same Loki, then?The black-haired boy I studied magic with?” she asked softly, her own eyes glazed as she fought to remember. “And hammer brain the oaf?” she looked at Thor who rolled his eyes. 

“She remembers nothing else except that terrible nickname,” he grumbled and all three of them laughed. 

Loki looked like he was trying to remain proper and polite, but he was fighting and failing.He rushed to her and after a moment of hesitation, a moment where she could tell him no to deny him the touch, he pulled her into his arms.She remembered that his skin was always freakishly cold, though she couldn’t feel it through her coat. “I thought I’d lost you forever,” he whispered as he held her to him. 

She slowly wrapped her arms around him, comforted by the feeling of old memories, even if she didn’t quite remember them yet.

Still, being in his arms felt like home.


	4. Chapter 4

Even though the hug felt like home, it eventually had to end. Neither of them wanted it to end, they wanted to stay in each other’s arms forever, to not lose that feeling of home that they’d both so desperately been looking for. 

Loki eventually seemed to remember his propriety and his grip on Sigyn loosened as he took a step back. Even Thor could see just how much effort it took and how much he just wanted to hug her again, to hold her in his arms so he wouldn’t have to risk losing her again. 

“What does this mean for my future?” Sigyn asked them warily when she’d taken a step back, when she’d shaken off the feeling of home and comfort of being in Loki’s arms. She knew they weren’t just going to let her leave, especially not Loki, especially not now that he was so overly excited to have his best friend back from the dead. She didn’t blame him. she barely remembered and she couldn’t help feeling ecstatic to have him back too.

She didn’t want to leave them. Not really, but she still had to know what they intended for her. 

“You do not have to change anything, unless you so wish. You may do as you please. Though I am sure there are people who miss you back on Asgard. You would be welcome there,” Loki told her, his voice gentle and caring, though he still seemed in shock that she was back from the dead.

Sigyn rolled her eyes and huffed at him. That seemed familiar too, such a usual gesture of annoyance at him. “You already brought me here to change my life, remember?” she reminded him with a bit of temper in her voice. They had dragged her here and her life was going to change, whether she wanted it to or not. They wanted something from her. No matter what the Lord of Lies said, she wasn’t free to do as she pleased.

Loki inclined his head. “At the very least, you do need to speak with the team. Thor will go with you… they do not exactly like nor trust me,” he said a bit sheepishly, as if he felt bad about that now. "After that, you decisions are you own. They will not force you to do anything. I will not allow it,” he told her firmly.He would protect her, despite any consequences to himself.

Sigyn gave him a disbelieving look. “Didn’t you say that they’re making you work for them?” she asked him, wary of the whole situation she found herself in.

He sighed and inclined his head. “As retribution. I don’t exactly have a choice in the matter. Besides, it was the Allfather who forced me, not the team here,” he explained. That made sense, then. The Allfather was way more powerful that these Midgardians, though if he didn’t have a choice, she didn’t see how she’d have much of one either. Not really. 

Sig jumped when the rest of the team came into the room. On instinct, she had automatically summoned a blade as long as her forearm in one hand and a purple bolt of magic in the other. Loki placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder to calm her. “Stand down, Lady Fae. They will not harm you. They would not, but even if they were to try, they cannot do anything to hurt you as long as I am here,” he told her gently.“You’re under my protection,” he reassured her, pleadingly. 

She was still wary, still afraid, but she vanished her blade and bolt of magic and turned to face the rest of the team. It was Cap who greeted her, who introduced the team officially. He also asked her for her story and she couldn’t see a good way or reason to avoid telling them, so she shyly told them about the fae taking her as a child. She told them how they tried to turn her fae and had succeeded at least partly. She didn’t realize she had absently tucked her hair behind her ears as she was talking, letting them see her pointed ears, sidhe-red hair, and tri-colored eyes clearly. She conveniently left out her newfound revelations about her heritage. They didn’t need to know about that yet, or possibly ever. 

As she was telling her story, she unconsciously took a step closer to Loki, nearly tucking herself against his side as if he would protect her from the others. She was under his protection, but it felt like more than that. 

When she finished sharing as much as she was willing at that time, Cap spoke again. “We have a choice for you, and I'm afraid it's not a good one, but SHIELD isn't giving any of us much of a choice,” he paused before he continued. He didn’t want to say this any more than Sig inevitably didn’t want to hear it. “You can either stay here with the team, move into the tower, become an Avenger if you so desire. You can live your life, make your own choices, and have our safety and protection,” he paused yet again. “Or you can leave and SHIELD will come find you and it will be much less comfortable in their care…”

Ah. That was the part he hadn’t wanted to say. 

She was being forced after all. 

Loki rolled his eyes and Sig heard his huff of exasperation, could practically feel his anger. “I should have known you would force her to remain here. She just escaped captivity, you expect her to willingly join another prison?” Loki snarled at the team. 

Stark glared at him and Sigyn took another step closer to Loki afraid of the angry men. “This isn't a prison,” Stark insisted. “She’s free to come and go as she wishes, just as you are, by the way. And the living arrangements are way better than the shithole apartment she's currently living in. And we're not asking anything of her besides that she doesn’t try to take over the Earth!” Stark told him firmly.

Loki’s glare hardened when Stark brought up the incident with the alien invasion. The annoying puny mortal knew that it wasn’t Loki’s fault what had happened. “It was not my decision to be here. I was dragged here by my brother at the Allfather’s orders. She might enjoy the life she is living. It is not for you to decide what life she wishes to have,”

“No,” she said softly, gently, knowing instinctively the tone she needed to cool Loki’s rage and temper. “The life I’ve built has been better than what I had among the fae, but it’s no life, not really.” Seriously, even with all her power, she was only just surviving. It wasn’t a life. Living here would be better than what she had and way better than being hunted down by SHIELD. “I-I can try staying here,” she told them a bit warily and very shyly. At least she wouldn’t go hungry here, not with Tony Stark and a crazy government organization paying for this endeavor. “I'll return after I go to my apartment and get my things…” she said it partially as a test to see if they would let her leave. 

“Not everything revolves around this team. She should be allowed to do as she pleases without the threat of SHIELD,” Loki protested again, wanting to protect his oldest and best friend.

Nat gave him a kind look. “As should we all, but SHIELD keeps a close eye on anyone who might be a threat. She's safer here with us than out on her own. There are plenty of people who would love to use someone with as much power as she has and an individual can be taken much easier than a group. She's done nothing but help us, and I for one want nothing more than to make sure she's safe and happy too.”Sigyn realized that Nat was too observant and it hadn’t escaped her notice that all of her things were second hand and she was too thin. 

Sig really was just surviving.

Loki sighed and finally relented. He turned to Sig, blatantly ignoring the others. “Would she like me to accompany you to collect you things, Lady Fae?” He asked her kindly.

“No need to go out of her way for me…” she told him quickly, embarrassed and shy. She looked up at Loki and tried to ignore that the team was staring at the pair, surprised that Loki was even offering to help her. "I... don't have much. It won't take very long,” she tried to reassure him.

“It would not be a bother. Plus, it would give me some time away from this lot,” he added with a smirk. She could hear the annoyance in his tone at the rest of the team.He always had been a bit of a loner and around so many people his introvert batteries were sure to be drained.

“A-alright,” she said softly, still shy and wary. She walked with him to the elevator while everyone else was still staring openly. “Though you're not going to like my apartment…” she added even more softly. Loki didn’t both responding to that.She wouldn’t be living there anymore. 

The pair left the tower together and Sig led Loki on the short walk to her apartment building. “I’m sorry you’re being dragged into this, Sigyn,” Loki finally said as they were strolling together to her apartment.

“It's alright,” she replied with a tentative smile. “It's actually probably a blessing in disguise. You'll understand when you see my place…” It didn’t take them long to get to the run-down apartment building. She only lived a few blocks from the Avenger’s tower. She walked up the stairs to her tiny, dingy apartment. It was only one room besides the bathroom and kitchen and she had next to nothing in it, besides a mattress on the floor for a bed and a scavenged dresser. She flushed in embarrassment. “I know, it's not much…” 

“You live here? Why?” Loki asked as he looked around the tiny space horrified. “I know you have enough magic to have a much better life…” Of course he knew how much power she had. He’d trained alongside her when they were. She should have been able to create a much better life for herself than _this_.

Sig shook her head and looked sad and weary. “The fae are hunting me and until recently I couldn’t risk using my powers without risking them finding me. So I had to make do with what I could get on my own…” she explained.Though she didn’t tell him why she was suddenly able to use her powers more openly.

“Sigyn, I’m so sorry…” he said softly and she could see the hurt in his eyes and knew that he was feeling terrible about how she’d been living when he was a literal prince.He would have come to help her had he known she was alive.He would have done anything to get her back.

She shook her head again. “It’s not your fault and things will be different now,” she told him with a smile and summoned a cardboard box to empty the contents of her dresser into quickly. Really, there wasn’t much besides a few changes of clothes and a couple of books. She’d really only come to make sure the team would let her leave.

Loki took the box out of her hands while she was throwing her few things into it. She tried to protest, but she saw the look in his eyes that he wouldn’t listen, so she let him hold the box. “Why help me?” she asked him.

“Sigyn, I know you don’t remember, but you and I were very close when we were younger. You were my best friend,” he told her earnestly. He wanted so badly for her to remember.He knew it would take time for her memories to come back, but he still hoped.

“Mama Frigga taught us magic,” she replied softly, remembering bits and pieces. She’d have to undo the blocks she’d placed on her memories soon. As soon as she got time. “So why are you forced for work with them, Lokes?” she asked. She noted how he stiffened at the nickname and she blushed. “Sorry, habit. Where I was… raised… it is incredibly rude to call friends or allies by name, especially where it can be overheard. There is power in the name of things. I can explain it better at the tower…” she told him quickly before he could demand an explanation.

He nodded, accepting her explanation, and the nickname if he had to put up with it. “There was an incident… Have you ever heard of the battle of New York?” He asked and she could hear the embarrassment in his tone, see it in his expression.

“The alien attack?”

He nodded. “I was the one who led the attack, though it was against my will; I was being controlled. The Allfather has decreed that I live on Midgard with Thor and aid the team as retribution for my role in the attack,” he explained.

Sig consider that and nodded. His story was true. She’d be able to tell if it wasn’t. “And they don't believe that you were being controlled?” she guessed based on his tone and body language. She finished throwing her things in the box he was holding and grabbed the box to take it from him.

He smirked at her as he moved the box out of her reach. “Exactly. Though, I have not exactly gone out of my way to try to befriend them. They have already decided how they wish to see me. There is very little I can do to change their minds at this juncture,”

“Maybe they'll come around someday,” she suggested hopefully. She liked the trickster and didn’t like seeing him so sad. She glared at the box he was holding out of her reach. “Now if she’ll just hand that over we can get out of here…”

His smirk only grew. Smug bastard. “I am perfectly capable of carrying your things for you, Lady Fae,” he told her pleasantly. 

She huffed, puffing up in grumpiness as she always had as a child. "You're wearing a full suit and you’re a prince. There is no reason for you to carry my grubby box of things,” she replied grumpily. 

He held the box more securely, refusing to return it to her. “Shall we return to the tower? I’m sure there is more the team wishes to speak with you about.”

She groaned at that. She didn’t want to answer more questions from the team. Though she knew they had to be curious about her. Knowledge about the fae was rare, especially true knowledge, not just fairy tales.She _did_ however recognize a lost cause and gave up on getting the box from Loki without a real fight. And it wasn’t worth a real fight. Not when he was just being a gentleman. “Alright, Lokes,” she replied with a smirk and started to lead him from her pathetic little apartment.

He followed right behind her. “I could easily just teleport the two of us back to the tower?” He reminded her, though made it a question of whether she wanted him to or not.

“If you’d prefer,” she replied with a shrug. “You're the one who wanted to escape the others for awhile…" she reminded him. “Though I’m sure you have questions for me too, which will be easier to answer in private…” she placed her hand tentatively on his arm. She had a feeling he didn’t like physical contact very much, but it was required for him to teleport a passenger. Plus her hand was on his suit jacket instead of his bare skin. 

He nodded and teleported she both back to the common room of the tower. she dropped Loki’s arm as soon as she reappeared. He hadn’t seemed upset about being touched, but she had the feeling he didn’t generally like it. “I’m sure Stark already has a room picked out for you,” Loki told her.

“I do in fact have a room picked out for her, Reindeer Games,” Stark replied as he looked up from the blue screen he was working on. “Thor decided which of the free rooms were best. He’s taken an interest in you for some reason,” he added with a shrug, though clearly wonderedwhy both Asgardians were taking an interest in the fae. He smirked at Loki. “She got you to carry her things, Reindeer Games?” He teased, clearly enjoying antagonizing Loki.

Loki glared at Stark. “I volunteered, you imbecile. It is called being a gentleman. Look it up.” After one more glare at Stark, he turned his attention back to Sig. “Lady Fae, would you wish for me to escort you to your room?” 

She nodded, if only to keep Loki from killing Stark. “That would be appreciated,” she told Loki pleasantly.

Stark’s smirk remained in place. “Her room is on five,” he told Loki.

Loki’s eyes narrowed at Stark, but his expression softened when he offered her his arm to take so he could escort her to her room. She placed her hand on his arm and while nothing appeared to have changed about her, she suddenly had the air of a court lady, which she was.Stark just didn’t know that.

She followed Loki up to her new room and looked over the simple room appreciatively once she had arrived. It had a real bed, dresser, bookshelf, and it’s own bathroom. It was much nicer than anywhere she’d stayed in a long, long time. It wasn’t decorated yet, but she had a feeling that would change. Loki had set her box next to the dresser while she checked out the room. 

She sat cross-legged on her bed and gestured in invitation for him to sit with her. He sat at the foot of the bed. She tucked her hair behind her pointed ears. “You look like you have a million questions, Lokes,” she started with a smirk. “Where would you like to start?”

“With anything you are willing to tell me. I do not wish to pry into anything you are not willing to reveal yet,” he told her politely, though she could hear the effort it took not to just demand answers to the questions that were killing him. 

“Well that's exceedingly unhelpful,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him and in that instant sounding and acting so much like the girl he knew. “By the way, you owe me my ring back. I kept up my end of the bargain,” she informed him, holding her hand out for said ring. He removed it from his hand and handed it back to her without complaint or argument.She slipped it back onto her finger with a small smile for him. “Thanks,” she told him warmly and considered what he might want to know. “I _did_ promise to tell you why it's rude to address your friends by name in the land of the fae,” she started. He inclined his head to indicate he was interested, so she continued. “There's power in the name of things.” That wasn’t the full explanation, but it was a good place start.

Loki nodded, following along with her so far. “And why is that?”

She gave him an appraising look. “To have a being's full name is to have some level of control over that being,” she explained, but she saw the disbelief in his eyes. He wouldn’t believe she until she showed him, so with a small apologetic look she continued: “I name you, Loptr Laufeyson, called Loki Odinson, adopted son of Odin, brother of Thor, master magician of Odin's court, god of Mischief, Chaos, Lies, and Stories…” as she spoke, his Asgardian form shattered, leaving him in Jotun form with his beautiful patterned sapphire skin and scarlet eyes. 

She thought him absolutely stunning and gorgeous, with his true form laid bare for her.


	5. Chapter 5

Loki’s scarlet eyes widened in shock and horror as he tried and failed to bring his Asgardian form back.He hated seeing the sapphire skin and the markings on his body.He hated the suddenly colder room.He hated that he was a monster.

He couldn’t don his illusions again, no matter how hard he tried, not while she held him in her control.She was only exerting a tiny piece of her abilities, just a small piece of her control.It was only a hint of what she could do with his truename. 

She saw his eyes widen when he realized how much control she had, and how much more control she _could_ have if she so chose.His expression still turned hard when he realized that he couldn’t bring his illusion back, his eyes panicked for a moment before they turned harsh and angry. “Sigyn, enough!” He snapped at her, snarling in rage at what she’d done.He _hated_ the proof that he was a monster and her cruelty in using it as her example.

Sig snapped her mouth shut and looked down, cringing from his anger.She’d been expecting it, but still couldn’t help be frightened by the angry powerful male.She’d had true horrors in her past and had a hard time getting past those.“I’m sorry,” she said softly, talking to her lap, refusing to look up at him.“I release you,” she added, just to be safe after she’d released him from her power.“Your illusion will be back in a minute…” she added softly and hated that she could hear the fear in her own voice. That meant he could hear it too.

He turned away from her, turning his back to try to hide his true form until the illusion reappeared. It was no use.Though Sigyn hated that he seemed so ashamed of his beautiful sapphire skin and the raised runic markings, of his beautiful scarlet eyes. 

This was Loki just as much as his Asgardian illusion was.

“There’s no need to hide,” Sigyn told him just as softly, her voice gentle and loving.She dared to look up at him while he focused on getting his illusion back.

It took effort, but he finally managed to summon the illusion back, finally managed to look how he wanted to again.He turned back to her as soon as he was looking Asgardian again.He was still glaring and she shrank back from him. “There is a reason I hide behind illusions, _Lady_ ,” he told her firmly, anger in his voice and tone, snarling her title.The way he said it, she knew that was all he was going to say on the matter.

She nodded and looked back down at her lap.“Sorry,” she said again. She really hadn’t meant to upset him. “You needed to understand the power of names and this was the easiest way to show you…” her voice was soft and afraid.And she hated how fearful her words were. She hadn’t meant to hurt him. 

He sighed and properly looked at her, past the haze of his anger.He finally realized he didn’t want to lose his best friend again, especially when he’d just gotten her back again. He took a deep breath, another, before he spoke again. “It’s alright.I was just surprised.I did not expect anyone to be able to break my illusion…” he gave her an expectant look to explain herself.

Sig nodded and relaxed slightly, looking up at him again. “It’s part of the power of true-naming.If a fae with sufficient power knows a being’s true name they can control at least aspects of that being, or completely control them.Names are dangerous.True-naming is a rare skill among the fae, so you don't have to worry, I’m one of the very few who can do it, and none can do it like I can. But that is only a touch of what a fae can do with a being's real name, ergo why real names aren't used,” she explained, thoughh she wasn’t sure her explanation was clear.She were still speaking softly, cautiously, bordering on afraid.She may have known this man when they were both children, but that was centuries ago and she only barely remembered pieces of it. She really needed to take the time to undo the blocks on her memories. She just needed time to do so.

Loki nodded along in understanding, figuring out what she meant from her explanation.“Then I can live with a nickname. I actually like Lokes,” he gave her a reassuring smile. He may not have liked her method, but it had been effective in explaining what she’d meant quickly.

“I can pick a different one if you’d like,” she offered immediately.“I just needed one quickly for the outing. I know how it feels to be stuck with a term of address she don't care for…”

Loki gave her a real smile and shook his head.“Lokes is fine.Like I said, I actually like it, especially coming from my old friend.I’m just not used to having a…kind… nickname.Thor’s moronic friends weren’t kind with their nicknames and Stark is… well Stark.”Sig nodded her understanding. She’d gotten the impression already that Loki and Stark hated each other.And that was enough to make her wary of Stark. “Is there anything else you wish to share?” Loki asked her gently, wanting more information, but not wanting to pressure her.

She hesitated, unsure what else he would want or need to know.“Sorry, I'm not used to anyone taking an interest. Anything else you wanted to know in particular?” she asked in reply.Fae secrets were secret for a reason, but she would be honest with Loki.

“How long have you been fae?” He asked and she saw the curiosity in his eyes.He was always desperate to be able to find out answers to any mystery that he came across. 

Some things never changed.

Sigyn had to think that over.“Well, I'm not entirely fae, but I've been like this,” she indicated her pointed ears, tri-colored eyes, and sidhe red hair “Since shortly after they took me.500 or so years ago?You seem to remember when that was better than I do at the moment…” When she’d been taken all those years ago, she’d still been a child. Maybe 6 or 7 by Midgardian reckoning of years. And Loki was older than her by fifty years, she remembered.She didn’t know how or why she remembered that random fact, but she knew it was true. Aging among the Asgardians happened in spikes of aging followed by long plateaus. She’d been around 500 when she had been taken.

Loki nodded, thinking over her words.“The whole kingdom was in an uproar when you vanished. Mother and the Allfather sent out the palace guards to search for you. They would have done it anyway, but it was even more urgent since you were so close to the princes, to me and Thor.They searched for at least a decade with no leads. I’m so sorry, Sigyn…” he said softly, his eyes and and tone full of centuries of old sorrow.Tears welled in his eyes, though he refused to let them fall. 

“They wanted you,” she told him softly, her eyes haunted with old memories “or Hammer-brain, but you were more fae like,”

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. That didn’t make any sense.Though he _was_ royalty, but that didn’t seem like enough of a reason to single him out. “Why me? What could _I_ have possibly offered them?” He asked her, hoping she’d have more insight.“I was only a child too…Yes, I was a prince, but that couldn’t have been enough of a reason…”

“An alliance between the fae and Asgard?” she suggested with a shrug.“They didn't tell me much of their dastardly plans. They were _so_ angry when they realized I wasn't a princess…” she told him, remembering their anger, their hate.Those memories she hadn’t been able to block out.She’d saved her family, but hadn’t been able to save herself her own pain.

“You were basically royalty, just not officially. I doubt that Mother or the Allfather would have given into the fae even if they had taken me. Especially the Allfather,” she noted that he didn’t call Odin ‘father’ anymore and she wondered what happened to cause the rift. She’d missed a lot while she was gone.

“They didn't think Hammer-brain would take to the magic or transition.You and I, on the other hand, already had magic, since your mother was teaching us. Like I said, they didn't exactly share their plans with me;I've only put together a few bits and pieces over the years…” she explained as best she could.

He nodded, accepting her story.It made sense that they wanted mages, which would make Thor useless for their plans. “I’ll have to let mother know. It could be important. Do you know why the fae wish for an alliance with Asgard?”

“The Asgardians are one of the long-lived races.And the seidr is compatible with fae magic.The fae aren't... dying out necessarily, but they aren't having nearly enough children and the children they _are_ having are with the Midgardians, since the Allfather won't let them into his realm and it’s hard for them to get into the realms with the other long-lived races as well. The children with the Midgardians aren't immortal and their magic is weak at best. They think the chances will be better to strengthen both the fae and the Asgardians with an alliance,” she spoke quickly, trying to get all the ideas she’d been able to gather out of her mouth in a coherent thought.She wasn’t entirely convinced she was being coherent.

Somehow, Loki kept up, nodding along in understanding.“I’m so sorry about what happened to you. It should not have.I wish…I wish we had done a better job protecting you.You were ours to defend, and we failed you,”

“Lokes, we were children!It wasn't you fault. We were just kids. And I've made it out of Underhill now…” she tried to reassure him.All she wanted to do was cross the distance between them and pull him into a hug, but she knew instinctively that he wouldn’t appreciate it.

“I know. I just wish I could have done more to help you. Or at least let them take me over you!They should have taken me!” He sounded so frustrated and helpless and she knew he’d been chewing himself out over it for centuries.He was a prince and a warrior.It was his job to defend those in his care.

“No, Loki,” she had a slight hesitation over using his name, but customs were different here and she'd seen how he didn't care for nicknames.This conversation needed his real name.“You would have fared worse there than I did, and I would not have wished that on anyone,”

“What exactly happened to you in Underhill?” His voice was full of heartbreak at her tone, her words, the past he was gleaning that she’d had.

“A lot of awful things. The fae are not kind to those who aren't fae.It's only possible to gain power there by having powerful friends or being strong enough or beautiful enough to gain power other ways.So even though I was part of the seelie court, it wasn't safe. I told you that no one goes by their real names, everyone has monickers.Mine was 'mongrel'.So believe me when I say that you would have fared worse, Prince,” she told him.His title also counted as a nickname in her book and wouldn’t offend him.She wasn’t saying it out of cruelty, but to emphasize the seriousness of the conversation.

His expression still looked haunted, but he nodded, forced to accept her words. “My brother and I, along with this team, will do all we can to keep you safe. You have my word, Sigyn,” he told her firmly. He sounded determined to keep her safe this time.He wouldn’t lose his best friend again.

Sigyn gave him a small, warm smile.“I'm not exactly helpless,” she reminded him as her smile turned to a smirk that so very mirrored his usual one.

He grinned back at her, feeling like old times and familiar footing.“I’m aware. You were trained by my mother. It would be an insult to her if I said she did not have the power to defend herself, or train others to do so,”

Sigyn giggled.It was a sound she hadn’t heard herself make in centuries and was wonderful and melodic. Loki relaxed at the sight and sound of a happy Sigyn.“And no one would dare insult Mama Frigga,” she agreed, her old form of address for the Queen of Asgard falling off her tongue automatically and it sounded perfect and like it was still correct.

His smile widened to a true smile, a smile she remembered on a much younger Loki.“Very true,” he agreed warmly and she recognized the expression he wore when he thought of his beloved Mama.“Very true indeed,”


	6. Chapter 6

Sigyn couldn’t help jumping with Jarvis announced that dinner was ready.She glared up in the direction that the voice seemed to be coming from while Loki chuckled at her discomfort. “I am not much of a fan of the computer myself. Primitive technology,” he scoffed.

She raised an eyebrow at him.That didn’t sound like Loki at all.“You haven't upgraded it yet?” she asked as she stood from her bed.Dinner sounded like an excellent idea, but the mystery was more interesting at the moment.She had also come up with at least three different upgrades to do on the stupid primitive technology without even seeing it. She knew Loki was equally as smart, so why hadn’t he done the same?

Loki shook his head, clearly grumbling and annoyed.“Stark is very protective of his technology. I tried upgrading it when I first arrived, but Stark seemed to be prepared for that and has banned me from his lab,” Loki whined. He _wanted_ to help and he wanted to improve the primitive technology.

She giggled and gave him a mischievous smirk.“Maybe I’ll do it instead,"

He returned her smirk and it felt like old times.“Be my guest,”

“We should probably get to dinner before Hammer-brain eats everything,” she reminded Loki. Her magic shimmered purple around her for a moment and she was soon in a forest green floor-length gown with a golden belt that looked gorgeous with her coloring.Loki gave her a look she couldn’t quite identify.“What? Do people not dress for dinner around here or something?” she asked at his expression.It seemed almost longing?Delighted?Impressed by her looks maybe?

“Not usually. People are much more casual nowadays.Well, at least on Midgard. Asgard still has their feasts every evening,” he clarified, imagining her at home, back in the clothes and culture she belonged in.The image was distorted as he tried to reconcile the woman in front of him with the girl he’d known. 

She sighed, missing the court dinners she was used to and let her clothes shimmer back to the baggy second-hand clothes she’d been wearing earlier. "Shall we, then?” she asked him softly and started to leave her room to head back to the main floor where she assumed dinner was served. 

Loki held out his arm for her to take.“Will you allow me to escort you to dinner, old friend?” He asked with a kind smile.He was so relieved to have her back in his life after so long. He didn’t want to do anything that might ruin it.

She smiled and took his arm, placing her hand lightly on his sleeve and gave him a warm gentle caring look.“The honor is mine, prince,” she replied just as kindly. It seemed so comfortable with Loki and she was finally starting to feel like this could be home. 

Until she stepped out of her room.“Brother! You cannot monopolize the affections of our old friend!” Thor boomed in his usual jovial way.Sig’s hand tightened on Loki’s arm and she sidled closer automatically. She was getting comfortable with Loki, but she was still shy and skittish around the others and Thor surprised her with how loud he was.

Loki glared at his brother. “Quiet, you oaf. You don’t need to yell when I’m standing right here,” he grumbled and rolled his eyes at his idiot brother.

Thor ignored Loki’s glare as per usual.“My point remains that you cannot monopolize our Lady Sigyn's affections,” he said and took her free hand to kiss her knuckles.

Sigyn saw Loki’s glare harden and he tensed up at Thor’s teasing.She squeezed Loki’s arm reassuringly and huffed in annoyance at Thor.“Can't you stop antagonizing your brother for five minutes, hammer-brain?” she asked, rolling her eyes.He huffed at the nickname."Healing stab wounds is such a pain,” she whined at Loki, easing his tension with her joking and teasing.Just like old times indeed.

Loki chuckled.“Very true,” he agreed, the threat to his brother clear. He would stab Thor if he remained annoying.

“Some things have not changed it seems,” Thor told Sig warmly and walked down to dinner with them.The rest of the team was already sitting around the dining room table and Sig’s hand tightened on Loki’s arm again, shy and skittish of all the people.

Loki shifted his position slightly, drawing her closer reassuringly. /I’m right by your side, Little Sigyn. You’re safe/ he reminded her telepathically.

/They don't like you either/ she reminded him as Loki pulled out her chair for her and seated her at the table.She smiled at him, acknowledging his courtesy with a nod of thanks.

The team went around the table giving introductions.When they were finished, they looked at her expectantly.She hesitated and thought over what to tell them, unsure how far to trust these people.Just because Thor liked them didn’t mean anything.Thor liked everyone.Finally, she settled on the truth.“I'm Sigyn, lady of Asgard and lady of the seelie court of the fae,” she told them softly.They all seemed surprised to learn she was of Asgard and Thor told them how he and Loki knew she as children before the fae stole her.

/Darling, are you there?/ Frigga asked her son while they were all eating dinner.

His eyes unfocused as he concentrated on answering her. /I’m here, Mother. Is something wrong?/ Frigga didn’t usually contact him across the realms.

/I've been trying to find Sigyn's family.../ she started, sorrow in her tone. Loki dreaded the information but waited for her to continue patiently./Her father died in the battle on Alfheim shortly after Sigyn went missing.Freya... Freya died of the heartbreak of losing her daughter and husband in such a short period of time.I'm sorry, darling, but we're the closest thing to family she has left…/ Frigga was clearly upset at the news and at having to tell Loki.Especially from so far away.

Loki’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought over what she said, his heart breaking for Sigyn and knowing he would have to tell her before she returned to Asgard. /What does this mean for her?/

/What do she mean, darling?/

/I mean, does this make her a princess of Asgard? Should we return home? What does the Allfather think?/

/No, she is not a princess. I simply meant that we are probably the only ones she has a chance to remember as her parents are lost to us and she was their firstborn.She retains her title as a duchess. There is no need for her to return home until she is ready to do so/ she paused, wondering why her son was always so suspicious of his father./Your father is grateful she has finally been found, of course, and would like to see her when she is up to coming here/she paused for a long minute before she asked./By the way, darling, is her hair an unnatural red color now?/

Loki’s expression hardened even more at that question. /It is. Why?/ he demanded, instantly jumping to try to protect Sig, though he didn’t know from what or why.That was a strange question from Frigga, though and it had him on edge.

/That simply explains a vision I had many, many centuries ago is all/ she explained, and her tone made it clear that she wasn’t going to tell him more. 

His curiosity could be felt through the link, but he was smart enough not to pry into things Frigga wasn’t prepared to tell him.She knew he was curious, but she equally wasn’t going to give him more of an answer right now.Some visions would not come true if the subjects knew about the vision. /Alright. I will be sure to let her know that she is welcome to return to Asgard whenever she wishes. What should I tell her about her family?/

/I would suggest telling the truth for once, darling/ she teased him and she could feel Loki’s smirk and laughter across the link. /However, if you do not wish to tell her, I will when you inevitably come to visit/

/I can tell her. I just might wait until she is more comfortable here. She was already forced to uproot her life to move into the tower. I don’t wish to spring this news on her as well, not so soon with everything else/ He hadn’t done well with sudden revelations in his own life and he didn’t want the same to happen to his Sigyn.

/Of course, darling.I just thought she should know sooner rather than later.I love you, my son/ Frigga told him warmly and ended the connection. It wasn’t the easiest thing to maintain across the realms. 


	7. Chapter 7

While Loki and Frigga were talking, the team had been asking Sigyn questions, mostly asking about things she’d already told Loki.However, she’d gotten tired and annoyed after one too many snarky remarks from Stark and even more tired of being talked over.“Hey! Listen to the fae when you ask her questions!” she snarled at him, beyond annoyed with him and wondering if defenestration was a valid option.

Stark stared at her for a moment before he burst into laughter, nearly falling out of his chair he was laughing so hard. “Whatever you say, Navi,” he teased.

She sighed heavily and glared at him.“Of course I get nicknamed after the most annoying fairy in history…” Navi from the Zelda game was an _annoying_ fairy.

Loki blinked a couple of times, pulling himself out of his daze.He looked concerned at her glare.“What?” He asked dumbly, trying to catch back up on what he’d missed while he’d been talking to his mother.

“Nope, you said the line.You’re officially Navi!” Stark replied gleefully, grinning at Sigyn and ignoring Loki.Of course he was stupid excited to have a stupid nickname for her. 

She huffed in reply. “Stupid shellhead,” she growled in his direction. Loki chuckled at her name for Stark, a small smile forming on his face and she gave him a conspiratorial smile at his chuckle. 

The team told stories for the rest of the meal, giving Sig a break from answering questions.Though at the end of dinner, before the dessert was brought out to appease the Loki, Nat turned to Sigyn and addressed her again.“I'm taking you shopping tomorrow,” she told Sigyn firmly, though her voice remained kind.“You need clothes and Stark's buying, so no complaints,” she added, leaving no room for arguments in her tone.

Loki raised an eyebrow at that and turned to Sigyn. /Do she wish for me to accompany she? I know you don’t feel very comfortable around many people/

/It'll be ok/ she reassured him quickly.She knew she needed Midgardians clothes.And she knew men on every realm hated shopping, especially for clothes and she didn’t imagine Loki, even her genderfluid Loki, would be any exception. /Nat's nice enough/

Loki nodded, accepting her decision./If you need anything, you only have to call for me. I will be there/ he promised. 

Sigyn made a mental not that she was going to have to teach him about making promises in her presence, but that was a lesson for another day. /That's appreciated/ she replied warmly.She had a thing about names, but there was also the thing about directly thanking someone. Fae habits had been ingrained in her from her centuries with them.

The entire group was distracted when Clint brought over the giant chocolate cake he'd made to go with dinner and he gave Loki a tentative smile.It seemed he may have been blatantly bribing Loki to like him by giving Loki desserts.It was an effective strategy.Loki’s eyes lit up in absolute delight.

Sigyn’s eyes lit up too.“That looks delicious,” she oohed over it.Nat cut the cake into slices and made sure Loki got the biggest one.She shared a conspiratorial smile with him and was clearly also not above bribing the god with food to be friends as well.Apparently it was a strategy everyone on the team used.

“Navi, you up to showing us what you can do?” Stark asked Sigyn once she had all devoured her cake. 

She glared at him down the table.This group somehow was already feeling like a dysfunctional family.“I'm not Navi,” she grumbled.

Loki glared at Stark too.“She is not a test subject for you, Stark,”

“Why don't we let her get settled in before we start assessing her skills for the team?” Cap suggested placatingly.It seemed he was the peacekeeper of the group.As well as being team mom.

“How about movie night?” Nat suggested kindly instead.It was clear the group wanted to get to know Sig, but equally clear that Sigyn had had enough of people and being social by that point.Loki was too. 

“Maybe another night,” she said softly, tired of dealing with so many people bothering her for information. The second the dishes were cleared, she left to head back to her room and solitude.She changed into pajamas and unpacked her things before she got bored and decided to explore the tower and get to know her new home.She hoped things were quieter by that point.

Loki was in his room, enjoying his own solitude and privacy and he heard her bedroom door open and close, since he lived across the hall from her. /Where are you off to, little fae?/

She stiffened a little at being spied on, tension running through her as she fought not to draw her blades. /Checking out my new home/ she replied curtly, defensively.She wasn’t supposed to be a prisoner in the tower. They shouldn’t have sicced Loki on her as a babysitter.

Loki felt the tension in the link. /Don’t fret, I’m not spying on you. I just heard you door open and was curious. Do you wish for company?/ his tone was kind and caring, not spying.

She followed the link to the door across the hall and padded silently on bare feet.Loki hadn’t told she he was across the hall from her, but someone she wasn’t surprised.That _did_ explain Stark’s behavior when he told Loki where she’d be living.She cracked his bedroom door open with only a tap of a knock as warning.“Only if you want company.You like your solitude, right?” she asked softly from the doorway.She’d also been working on unlocking her memories before she went wandering and remembered a bit more about him.

He gave her a bright warm smile.“I do, but she are the exception to that rule, old friend,”

She gave him a warm smile in return. “I know it's probably a lot to ask, but is there anything actually worth reading in this place?”These people all seemed like the active Thor-types who wouldn’t know a good book if they were hit in the head with it.

“I’m actually not sure. I haven’t taken the time to look, since I brought my own reading material,” he paused and summoned a book, offering it to her.She took the invitation and entered his room properly to take the book from him.“This is one of my favorites.I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read it,” he told her warmly.

She took the book from him and couldn’t help the bright smile that bloomed on her face.“Hiccup! I haven't seen a copy of this in-” she trailed off, settling comfortably next to him on his bed and diving straight into the rune-written tale, revisiting characters she hadn’t read about in centuries.His smile widened at her familiar behavior and he returned to the book he’d been reading himself. 

It was hours and hours later when she finally broke her gaze from the book and realized it was the early hours of the morning. “Odin's beard!Sorry! I shouldn't have infringed on you solitude so long.You should've kicked me out hours ago.I blame the book!” she told him nearly frantically at the impropriety of her actions.She scrambled off of his bed to go find her own and let him get some sleep.

He chuckled. “Believe me, Sigyn. I very much enjoy you company,” he told her warmly.

She gave him a bright smile in return. “And I yours, Loki.However, the hour is late and I should find my own bed,”

Loki nodded and stood as well to open the door for her and see her out safely. “Goodnight, little fae,” he told her warmly with a kind smile. she returned the smile, cradling the book to her chest. She weren’t giving the book back until she finished reading it.

“Goodnight, prince,” she replied before she left his room.

*

Nat woke her early to take her shopping and it was a whirlwind of an adventure, but by the time they returned to the tower, they’d become friends and Sig had an entire new wardrobe.Nat made her change out of her grungy old clothes into something new before they returned.Nat had caught both of the Asgardian’s interest in the fae and had a feeling they’d appreciate her being dressed in flattering clothes for once.So she were wearing an adorable purple sweater dress, black leggings, and boots when she reentered the common room just after lunch.

Thor jumped to his feet when she entered the common room and smiled appreciatively at her wearing something flattering instead of baggy second hand clothes. He took her hand to bow over it and kiss her knuckles, the actions of a polite gentlemanly prince and something she’d more expect his brother to do.Which is when she realized he was teasing Loki by doing it before his brother could.“You look lovely, Lady Sigyn,” he told her warmly. She saw love in his eyes, but recognized it for the brotherly love that it was. 

Loki glared at Thor before unfolding himself from his couch and joining the pair, maneuvering Thor aside gracefully. Thor stepped aside with a smirk, enjoying teasing his brother. 

Loki took Sig’s bare hand in his and bowed elegantly over it, placing his cool lips against her knuckles. “Resplendent, lady fae, as always,” he told her in a seductive purr.

The second Loki took her hand in his, the first time their bare skin actually touched, a flare of magic passed between them, etching lines of power in beautiful swirls from the backs of their hands left hands up their arms to their elbows. Purple on his arm and green on hers.

A soulbond etched in power on their skin for all to see.


	8. Chapter 8

Loki jerked his hand away from hers as if her touch had electrocuted him.Which was ridiculous.She wasn’t Thor for Norn’s sake.Her touch wouldn’t hurt him.This was Sig, his lost Sigyn, his lost best friend, his lost… heart.His eyebrows furrowed, his expression turning to shock, horror, briefly on love, but he was startled and couldn’t settle on an emotion.

Sig jolted a little and pushed up her sleeve to look in awe at the green lines of power on her skin.The pattern was beautiful swirls and the whole thing was gorgeous, looking like a glowing magical tattoo. “A… soulbond?” she asked softly, unsure if what she was seeing was real. She hadn’t seen a soulbond in centuries.They didn’t happen among the fae. It didn’t happen all the time on Asgard, but was much more common. 

Loki’s gaze quickly shot up to her from the purple lines of power on his arm.“Did you know this would happen? What does this mean?” He demanded, panic in his voice.He clearly didn’t know what was going on anymore than she did.

Sig shook her head firmly.“Of course I didn’t know. I knew something about them centuries ago. I don’t even remember if it was Asgardian magic or some old children’s tale…. All I know is soulbonds don’t happen among the fae,” she replied.That much at least, she _did_ know for certain.

Loki nodded, remembering that her memories weren’t entirely back yet.She still couldn’t quite grasp what he thought of the situation, nor he her. They both needed more information.Neither of them knew much anymore about soulbonds except that they supposedly marked soulmates.

Sigyn was his soulmate?

How could Sigyn be his soulmate???

Loki turned to Thor.“We need to return home. Now,” he told his brother firmly. 

Thor looked confused, though not at the magic that had just occurred.He knew a soulbond when he saw one.“Congratulations are in order, brother,” he replied instead of rushing off to Asgard like Loki wanted. 

Loki glared.“Now, oaf,” he insisted more firmly.

Thor huffed at his impatient brother, but nodded and held out his hand so Mjolnir would fly to him. “What is the problem, brother?”

“We need more information on what this means,” Loki gestured to the purple swirls of power on his arm.“I’m sure Mother will be able to help us,” he added, sounding worried. 

Thor nodded again.“Come on, then. I will call the Bifrost outside.” 

Loki nodded and Sigyn saw him consider grabbing her hand.Or taking her hand, but he reconsidered and stopped himself.She saw the hesitation, she saw where he stopped reaching for her and it hurt her heart.She hoped he wouldn’t reject the soulbond, but it was within his rights to reject it, to break it.“Come along, Lady Fae,” his voice was courteous as usual, but strained and pained. 

He didn’t want her.

Sig hesitated.She was just getting settled in here and she was getting her life thrown upside down again.Especially when Loki seemed to be wanting to break the soulbond.She was afraid of his rejection, but she followed the boys to the elevator silently anyway, feeling apprehensive.

The headed straight outside to a place where they clearly usually called the Bifrost from. The runes seemed to be permanently etched into the ground. 

Loki strode impatiently to the middle of the Bifrost circle.“Brother, if you would,” he said, trying to get Sig and Thor to hurry up.He wanted to get to Frigga and get questions answered.Loki wasn’t looking at Sig, or acknowledging her in any way.He was afraid and nervous.He’d never expected to have a soulbond and he was afraid. 

Thor wrapped his big oafish arm around Sigyn when it was clear that Loki was afraid to touch her, especially after last time they’d touched and the soulbond had burst into being.“Traveling by Bifrost is an experience,” Thor explained to her as to the reason his arm was around her.Thor raised Mjolnir high above his head, his arm tightening around her automatically.“Heimdall, bring us home,” he called overly dramatically.Showoff.That was usually Loki’s thing to show off. It felt wrong that Thor was being a showoff instead.

A moment later the familiar rainbow lights of the Bifrost opened around them.Sigyn remembered having been on this before.She had the uncanny sensation of flying upwards and not by her own power.It was an unsettling feeling, but a familiar one and she was glad that she didn’t feel like throwing up as she ran into the Bifrost chamber.

Loki barely spared a glance for Heimdall as he headed straight for his horse.Thor thanked Heimdall who turned to she.“Welcome home, Lady Sigyn,” Heimdall told her warmly.She nodded her thanks and just stared out at the kingdom when she saw it from outside the Bifrost chamber.

Home.

She was home.

Thor led she gently forward toward the horses.“Come, Lady. We will return to the palace.That should feel even more like home.”He had noted her longing expression of familiarity at the city.He saw how much it meant to her to be home. Even if Loki was being distant and a ass in his fear, Thor had noticed Sigyn’s emotions. 

Loki was being impatient and glaring at Thor to hurry up from where he was already mounted on his jet black horse.There was only one other horse there.Apparently, whoever had brought the horses had assumed that Sig would be riding with Loki, or just that the two princes were returning.Except that Loki was being distant and wanted nothing to do with Sigyn. He was acting like he wanted to break the soulbond and it was killing her.

Thor mounted his horse and offered Sig a hand, inviting her to ride with him. She took his hand and swung up onto the horse behind him gracefully.Thor was glaring daggers at Loki for how he was behaving. 

As soon as she was settled, Loki set off for the palace at a gallop and Thor had to kick his horse into motion to catch up.Loki needed to get to the palace as fast as possible.He needed answers.He couldn’t wait for those two if they were going to move so slow.

The trip didn’t take long at the gallop and they were soon dismounting and making their way into the palace proper, trying to keep up with Loki, despite Sig staring around in awe at being home. 

/Mother, where are you?/ Loki asked telepathically and Frigga could hear the anxiety and fear in his voice.As well as the impatience.

/In my sitting room, darling. What’s wrong?/ Frigga asked in her usual calm gentle way.She heard his fear and anxiety. She also felt that he was on Asgard and not on Midgard where she expected him to be. She was concerned about how nervous he was, but she would never let him hear that.She would be his patient gentle mother and knew that was the way that he would come to her. 

/Thor, Sigyn, and I are coming to you. I need your help/ Loki told her as he set off at speed to her sitting room.

/Alright, darling. I’ll be here.Whatever it is I’m sure it will be alright/ Frigga reassured him. Whatever it was, she would make sure that it was alright, for all of their sakes.


	9. Chapter 9

Sigyn took a moment as she entered the palace to use magic to change her clothes to an Asgardian style dress so she didn’t stand out as much.She was remembering more of her memories just by being home and knew automatically what the dress needed to look like in order to fit in.She made sure the green lines of power on her arm were covered when she did.Loki was so uncomfortable with what had happened that she was certain that he was going to reject the bond, going to reject her. 

Even though she could see the bond was shimmering between the marks on her skin and the marks on his.She could see the soul binding.It was part of her nature to see such things after all.

Loki strode with such speed that Sig and Thor had to rush to keep up with him. They finally reached Frigga’s suite and Loki knocked, waiting for someone to answer for once instead of just barging in.Sigyn remembered that they used to just barge in. She remembered this place and these people.Now that shew as home, she was remembering her life there.

Frigga opened the door herself for them.Apparently they were expected.“Come in, darlings,” she bid the three of them, noting Loki’s fear and anxiety etched clearly on his face.She reached up to touch his cheek reassuringly.

He gave her a warm loving smile and pulled her into a hug.Mama’s boy never changed, no matter what was going on in his life.Sig couldn’t help smiling at the familiar old gesture. “It’s alright, darling. Whatever it is, it’s alright,” Frigga reassured him as she hugged him back.Whatever it was, whatever was wrong, it couldn’t be worse than her son coming home in chains because of a crime he didn’t choose to commit.

Loki released Frigga and showed her the spirals of power on his arm.“Have you seen anything like this before?” The purple lines radiated power as they spiraled up his arm, glowing softly with the new soulbond.

Frigga gave him a warm smile while Thor and Sig watched on, anxious for her response. “Of course I have, darling,” she told him gently and led her three children, Sigyn included in that count, into her sitting room proper so they could all discuss the matter.She also took the opportunity to say hello to her other son and kiss his cheek and to welcome Sig back to Asgard.She noted the green swirls of power on the back of Sig’s hand, which she hadn’t been able to cover with her sleeve. She wasn’t surprised that Sigyn was Loki’s soulbond.

Frigga turned to Loki once her three children were all seated on various couches and chairs around her sitting room with tea.She let the illusion fade from her own arm where light and dark gold lines of power swirled together from her hand up her arm.“It is a soulbond, darling. The mark of soulmates,” she told Loki gently.She knew that he knew what it was.He just needed the confirmation.He needed the truth.She hoped her suspicion that Loki would demand the soulbond be broken was unfounded. She watched his brows furrow while he thought over the implications and she waited patiently, sipping on her tea. 

Loki didn’t think he deserved a soulmate, or that he would ever have one, or find her if he _did_ have one. “I actually have a soul mate? Me?” The disbelief was obvious in his voice and Frigga suddenly knew the problem.He didn’t think he was worthy of a soulmate, not after the alien invasion, not after the things he’d done.

“Yes, darling. That is the only cause for those marks,” Frigga replied gently.She didn’t want to hurt her son.

Loki was in absolute shock.They were all in shock as soulbonds weren’t the most common of things, even on Asgard.Though the royal family tended to have more than their fair share of them.Loki never thought he deserved one, not after all the mistakes he’d made.Again, Frigga waited patiently for Loki to digest that piece of information and for his brain to start working again.

“What does this mean, Mother?” He asked, sounding like a small boy in his demand for answers.He was having a hard time wrapping his mind around all of this.

“It means that Lady Sigyn is your soulmate,” she told him patiently.She hesitated, but continued.“The soulbond increases both of your magic, plus increases things like your telepathic bond to the other. There are other perks of course. Though the bond does have one catch,” she paused again and waited to be sure she had all three of their attention before she would continue.“If one half of a soulbond dies, so does the other,”

Loki did not at all like the sound of that.Thanos was still a threat looming over his head and he fully expected that threat to come back.He didn’t want to risk Sig’s life.He didn’t want her life in the balance if Thanos came calling again.

Frigga read the expressions flashing on his face and waited for his conclusion, or more questions.She also noted Sigyn’s expression.Sigyn was sitting just out of Loki’s ability to see she and she was excited at the prospect of having a home in someone, though she was also wary that Loki was going to break the soulbond. Frigga was observant, and knew her son well, so she spoke again.“Thor, why don’t she take Lady Sigyn and show her to her suite.It’s the same one she had as a child,” Frigga ordered, dismissing them both.Loki wouldn’t talk to her candidly in front of witnesses, even witnesses like his brother and soulmate.And he needed to be able to speak candidly.

“Yes, Mother,” Thor replied and offered Sigyn a hand.The two of them left quickly, though Sig glanced worriedly back at Loki before she left. She wouldn’t disobey Mama Frigga, though and agreed to be escorted by Thor.None of them would dare disobey Mama Frigga.

Frigga turned her attention back to Loki when Sigyn and Thor had gone.“You seem displeased by this news,” she started gently once they were alone.

“I’m still in danger, Mother. Being on Midgard doesn’t change that. The news you just gave me makes it dangerous for Sigyn to be bonded to me,” Loki told her, speaking his concerns.Frigga knew about Thanos and the truth of why he had led the alien invasion on New York.

“There is always danger surrounding us, my darling. That does not mean we should abandon happiness when we can find it, simply due to fear. And you are currently bonded to Sigyn,” she reminded him.Her voice and tone were as gentle and kind as usual.

His heart broke when he asked the question that he needed answered. “Is there any way we can remove it? I don’t want to put her in danger. I don’t want to bind her to a monster,” he hesitated before he admitted the rest. “I love her too much!”

“You are no monster,” Frigga snapped at him firmly with a mother’s conviction.Loki gave her a small smile at her automatic dismissal of his self-pity.It was definitely a mother’s reaction. Frigga sighed. “It can be removed. If that is truly what you wish…"

Loki sighed.He didn’t agree with Frigga saying he wasn’t a monster, but she was his mother and that was her job.“I don’t know…” he put his head in his hands, frustration evident and rolling off of him in waves.“I’ve never dealt with something like this before.I love her.I have since we were children.And yes, I need to become acquainted with the woman she’s become.But I don’t want her in danger or tied to a monster for eternity, either!”

Frigga moved to sit next to him on the couch and pulled him into her arms, letting him rest his head on her shoulder, just as she had when he was a child and needed comfort.“Of course you have never dealt with anything like this, before,” she told him gently and stroked his hair.“But can you really live with never touching her again? That would be the cost of breaking the bond,”

Loki shook his head emphatically.“I don’t think I could live with that,” he told her softly.

“Then you will have to learn to live with the bond, darling. I know it’s difficult being told you’re soulmates when you just found her again, but can you really imagine life without her now that you have her back?” Frigga asked just as gently, guiding him to the answer that would make him happiest.

Loki shook his head again. “I thought she was dead. I mourned her for centuries.I never really believed I would ever see her again.I can’t give her up now that I finally have her back,” he said with conviction in his tone.He wouldn’t, couldn’t, lose her again.

“We all believed her dead,” Frigga stroked his hair while she held him in her arms.“I can break the bond if that’s truly what you wish, or you can treat that girl like the most precious thing in your life, earn her love, and finally find the happiness you have been missing since she was taken from us,”

Loki wrapped his arms around Frigga. “I will do my best,” he promised her after a moment.It only took a moment.He knew what he wanted, but it was still hard.He couldn’t give up Sig.Not again.“I’ve never had someone really care for me besides you and her. It will be an adjustment,”

Frigga hugged him tighter and smiled warmly.“She did care for you. Even as children. Or do you really expect me to believe that the incident with the bilgesnipe was her fault?” Sig had lied and claimed that incident so Loki wouldn’t get into even more trouble, since he’d been grounded at the time.

That drew a laugh from Loki.“You always could see right through me, Mother,” he told her warmly.

“I am her mother of course I can,” she told him and pressed a kiss to his forehead.“You will be fine, my darling. A soulbond is a heavy responsibility, yes, but the easy way out of it would just hurt you both,” she reminded him.“I will have the texts pertaining to soulbonds sent to her chambers. In the meantime, don’t you have a lady to reassure of you affections?” She teased.She’d seen how Loki had been acting since he came home and he would have to reassure Sigyn that he cared for her and make it up to her.

Loki nodded and released Frigga, kissing her on the cheek.“Thank you, Mother,”

“Anytime, my darling,” she told him warmly and saw him out of her suite.


	10. Chapter 10

Loki left Frigga’s suite and headed toward Sigyn’s suite to find her and start to make amends for being stupid.He wasn’t looking forward to that part, but he _was_ looking forward to being her soulbond for eternity.That part sounded fantastic. Instead of finding Sigyn, he found Thor standing outside her door.That was annoying.He didn’t _want_ to see his idiot brother.He wanted to see his soulbond. 

“Did you and Mother get the soulbond sorted?” Thor asked Loki.He kept his voice gentle and kind, despite that he was a bit afraid that Loki was going to do something stupid. He didn’t want Loki breaking Sigyn’s heart now that he finally had her back.

Loki showed Thor his arm and the mark that was still there and Thor breathed a sigh of relief. “Is Sigyn alright?” Loki asked his idiot brother.

“She was... concerned... when I brought her here,” Thor replied, though seemed reassured that Loki hadn’t had the soulbond broken.Concerned wasn’t a strong enough word, but it was the best one that Thor could come up with at the moment.He wasn’t a skilled wordsmith like Loki.“She seems to have remembered her past from being back here and went to go find her mother,” Thor added.Sigyn’s rooms were across the hall from Loki’s while her mother’s had been in a separate wing of the palace with the rest of the nobles’ suites.Frigga had never explained why Sig got a suite in the royal wing, but Loki had just been glad to have his best friend close as a child. 

Loki’s eyes widened in horror.“Oh no.Oh no.Ohno,” he said in a panic. 

“What?” Thor asks confused. He’d thought it was better that Sigyn go see her mother than fret and worry and be depressed over Loki probably rejecting the soulbond.It had _seemed_ like a good idea, but Loki seemed to know something that Thor didn’t.

“Mother and I never got a chance to tell her!” Loki replied and immediately took off running, looking for his missing soulbond. Thor was on Loki’s heels immediately, wondering what was going on. Despite his curiosity and Loki’s lack of explanation, he would always go with his brother to help him with whatever the problem was.“Mother told me that her father died in the battle of Alfheim. Her mother passed from the heartbreak of losing her husband and daughter in such a short period of time. We need to find SIg and fast,” Loki’s voice was frantic as he explained the situation to Thor as they rushed through the halls of the palace.

Thor nodded. “Can’t you find her by magic somehow? She could be anywhere in the palace by now,”

Loki stopped in his tracks, closing his eyes to concentrate. He focused on the soulbond, hoping there was some magic in it that would allow him to better be able to locate Sig.He felt the pull from the marks on his arm toward hers and took off running again in the direction it led.He hoped that he would reach her in time.Thor kept pace with him and the people in the corridors jumped out of the way of the running princes.No one ever wanted to be in the way of those two when they were running.

The two came to a halt when they found Sigyn crying in an alcove outside of the suite that had been her Mother’s.Loki rushed over to her and pulled her into a hug.“I'm so sorry, Sigyn,” he told her gently as her arms wrapped tightly around him and she sobbed her heartbreak into his shoulder.His fingers combed through her hair as he tried to soothe her pain. All he could do was hold her for however long it took.

Sigyn’s sobs seemed to last forever in Loki’s eyes, as there as nothing he could do to ease them, except to continue holding her.They did eventually slowly ease and she looked up at him with tears still streaming from her eyes.“Mama... mama’s gone too,” she managed to tell him before the tears started again in earnest. He hugged her tighter to him, and she felt his tears land in her hair.She finally managed to stop her tears fully and extricated herself from his arms, rubbing her eyes dry roughly.“I’m sorry... I-” she didn’t know what to say.Her life had been turned upside down multiple times over the last day and she thought she was going to lose Loki too on top of everything else. 

Loki cupped her cheek in his hand and tilted her head up to look him in the eyes.“I understand, Sigyn. We will always be here for you. _I_ will always be here for you. I'm so sorry you had to find out this way. Mother and I were going to tell you but we hadn’t gotten the chance. I'm so, so sorry Sigyn,”

“You… you knew?” she asked him softly.Of course, he’d been so distracted by the soulbond to remember to tell her. He’d been so frantic and afraid since it had appeared. He’d forgotten about her besides giving her one snapped order to come with him and Thor. They’d just met again...and then when Frigga told him about the soulbond... he’d of course forgotten about her… she wasn’t important to him, not anymore. 

Loki nodded sadly. “I was going to tell you, I swear. I just didn’t know the right time and I was not expecting to return to Asgard so soon,”

Sigyn nodded just as sadly. "D-did your mother tell you what you needed?” she asked him softly, nervously.She was afraid she was going to lose him too. She wasn’t sure she could handle losing him and her parents both in the same day.

He nodded again. “She did.”He hesitated before he asked his next question “What is your opinion of all of this, the soulbond, I mean?” He was scared to ask, afraid of being rejected.They didn’t know each other anymore.How could she possibly want to be soulbound to a monster?

Thor conveniently vanished to give the two privacy and make sure no one else came down the hall to bother them. Sigyn was relatively ok and this was a private conversation.“You didn't seem particularly pleased with the news,” she told him softly instead of answering his question.It would do no good to tell him her feelings if he was just going to have the soulbond broken.

Loki sighed heavily and fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose.“It was just unexpected and complicated.I have a price on my head. I'm a criminal and a monster. If you knew everything I've done, you would want nothing to do with me…” he told her. His words were blunt, though his voice gentle.He didn’t want to hurt her, but he _did_ want her to know what she was getting herself into if she agreed to be with him.

“It was unexpected,” she agreed softly.“But not unwelcome… My hands aren't clean either and I already know damn well that you’re a jotun and have already told you that you’re not a monster,” she reminded him firmly.She would knock some sense into him if she had to.

It was obvious from his expression that he didn’t agree with her.He’d hated his true nature since he found out about it.He stuck exclusively to his Asgardian form for a reason.“Are you sure you want this? Want me?” He asked softly and she could hear the fear of rejection in his voice.She could see it in his eyes that he was preparing himself to be turned down, turned away.

“Only if you do,” she replied just as softly.“I know I'm not the Sigyn you knew…” she was afraid of rejection too, especially since he was so close to rejecting her.She had seen it in his eyes.Why would he want her?She was half-fae or more and looked nothing like the child he remembered.

“You may not be the girl I knew when we were children but I am also not the boy you knew. I have not been that same boy since I found out my true heritage, no before that, not since I lost you. I do not wish to lose you again, not now that I have finally found you again.I would be honored to be soulbond to you if you’ll have me,”

“I'd love nothing more,” she replied with a tentative smile and no hesitation or lie in her voice.She wrapped her arms around him. His went comfortably around her in return and she finally felt properly home in his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

Loki gave Sigyn a warm smile, just as glad as she was that the soulbond was accepted, that their bond was there and only going to grow stronger.“So, what exactly does this mean?” He asked and she could hear the touch of worry in his words.

She looked up at him confused and shrugged “How should I know?You mother is sending the texts to you room,” she reminded him.They’d both get more information about the soulbonds whenthey could study them properly.Sig realized that she might have also been misinterpreting what he was asking of her.He wasn’t being particularly clear, which was strange for his silver tongue and spoke to just how upset he was.

He sighed.“I meant what does this mean for the two of us? Where do we stand in our relationship?” 

Oh.She’d definitely been misinterpreting what he’d been asking.

“Geez, Lokes, you know how to ask the hard questions,” she sighed with sarcasm in her tone. That made Loki smile.It was just like old times.“We just found each other again. This,” she gestured to the green power lines on her arm “Doesn't mean we have to rush into anything more than having my best friend back,” she was hesitant in her answer, afraid it was going to offend him.What if he wanted to jump right into more?She wasn’t sure she’d be opposed, but she wasn’t quite ready to jump straight from having her best friend back to having more.It as too much all at once.

Loki nodded in agreement and seemed to share her sentiments.He wasn’t one for rushing in and didn’t want either of them feeling pressured into a relationship they weren’t ready for.“I can live with that. It would be better to get to know each other again rather than rushing into things,” Loki wasn’t irrational and knew how to think things through, unlike a stupid oafish Thor.

Sigyn sighed in relief that he was reasonable and rational, unlike his idiot brother.She was also glad he wasn’t offended.However, she couldn’t help smirk at him.“How long until you start insisting I wear you colors?” she teased.She knew the tradition well. Ladies on Asgard wore the colors of the noble gentleman she was being courted by.

He smirked in reply and it felt like old times.“Technically, you already are,” he replied, indicating the green swirls of power up her arm. 

She couldn’t help giggling in reply.“Yes, technically,” she agreed, looking at the beautiful lines of shining green magic on her arm.

Loki looked concerned.“Do you plan on hiding her mark?” He asked.He wasn’t planning on hiding his.He was still shocked that he was worthy of a soulmate, even though that wasn’t how it worked at all. But he was beyond pleased with the development.He had her, his Sigyn, back from the dead, back in his life, and apparently his soulbond, his soulmate. 

He wouldn’t lose her again.

She shook her head and with a shimmer of power, her dress shimmered so it had short sleeves. “No, I only hid it earlier since I wasn't sure if you wanted to keep it…” she told him softly. She didn’t want to upset him, but he had to know.He just gave her a gentle understanding smile. She noted that the power lines on his arm were evident and displayed. 

“Green really looks good on you, darling,” he told her warmly, admiring the swirls of power.He was correct, of course. Green looked fantastic with her coloring, her pale skin, sidhe red hair, and tri-tri-colored green and gold eyes. 

“That’s a good purple on you,” she replied.It was a dark royal purple that shimmered in power up his arm, spiraling beautifully as it did.

“It’s not really part of my color scheme, but I like it,”

“It’s even more obvious because it’s not part of you color scheme, Lokes,” she pointed out with a smirk. Though something caught her attention, a noise down the hall.She grabbed Loki’s hand.“C’mon!” she told him and ran, dragging him into running after her.In that moment, she was completely the Sigyn he remembered from his childhood.

He laughed and let her drag him along, hurrying to keep up with her, though his stride was much longer than hers.“Where are we going?” He asked as he laughed and ran with her.

“Away from the oaf's moronic friends,” she replied jovially as she ran.They could both hear them now at the end of the hallway as they ran in the opposite direction.When Loki could hear them too, he picked up speed, sweeping her up in his arms in one smooth motion.She made a small surprised noise and wrapped her arms around his neck automatically, grateful for his longer stride to get away from the morons.Loki took a few steps and teleported them both to his suite. 

They were both still laughing when he set her carefully back on her feet. “I figured you wanted to hang out with them about as much as I did,” she told him as she fought to catch her breath from laughing so hard. 

Loki finally managed to compose himself.“Very true. They are my least favorite people in this realm. Besides the Allfather, of course,”

“Unless she's changed, Sif isn't bad,” she reminded him.Sif had been her friend as children.“The moron boys however…"

Loki nodded in agreement.“Sif is the only exception,”

She gave him a warm smile, then looked around his chambers appraisingly.Some things had changed over the centuries, of course, but it was similar enough to feel the same as it had all of those years ago.

“Bring back any memories?” Loki asked, noting her gaze around the room. 

Sig nodded.“Being back here, I've been remembering a lot of things.It helps being home,” she replied warmly. 

“Good things I hope,”

She smirked.“Mostly.Except for that thing with the bilgesnipe…” she teased

He laughed, clearly recalling the incident as well “That was not entirely my fault, you know,”

She wrinkled her nose.“Liar,” she smirked at him.

He pointed a finger at her with a mock glare.“Do not pull my trick on me, little one,” he warned her firmly, though his eyes were full of mirth and teasing.

She laughed and stuck her tongue out at him.“You can't lie to a fae, Trickster,” she teased in reply.

“Two lie detectors in one room. Oh joy,” his teasing continued with sarcasm in his tone. 

She huffed.“At least you can lie,” she grumbled.Unlike most of the fae, she _could_ lie, but it wasn’t easy and she wasn’t good at it, so she tried to avoid it whenever possible.

“I would not be me if I could not lie. Imagine, the god of lies not being able to lie. Preposterous,” he scoffed at the prospect.

She giggled. “Preposterous indeed,” she agreed.“Instead, you just can't lie in front of me,” she enjoyed the teasing torment of her Loki.She was fae and could smell a lie just easily as Loki could.

He wrinkled his nose.“Annoying fae magics,” he mock-grumbled. 

She couldn’t help giggling at him again.“It's good for you to have someone around you can't lie to,” she continued teasing him.It was fun and felt like home and normal.

“Not when you are the god of lies. It ruins my whole reputation,” he whined playfully.She didn’t know how rare it was now to see Loki being playful.To her, it felt like home, felt like old times.

“Guess you’ll have to keep me on your good side then so I don't betray your lies,”

He gave her a warm, genuine, smile.“I think I can manage that,”


	12. Chapter 12

Sigyn gave him a more serious look, appraising him now that she remembered more of the boy he’d been. She could still see that boy in the man who stood in front of her now. “Is it hard that I look nothing like the Sigyn you remember?” she asked him softly. She’d found an old portrait in her suite of the golden-haired girl she’d been.

Loki considered her question, but shook his head. “I still see some of her in you. You may not look the same as you once did, but the personality is still there. I still see you behind the fae,”

She gave him a warm smile, reassured and relieved. Something else came to her mind and she sighed. “I'm surprised I haven't been called before the Allfather yet…” she grumbled. She knew that all visitors to the realm had to face the Allfather. Even though she wasn’t a visitor, as Asgard was her home, she hadn’t been home in centuries, so of course Odin would call her before him.

Loki sighed. “I expect it will happen soon. Heimdall likely reported to him as soon as we headed to the palace,” he reminded her. Heimdall was always tattling on everything interesting she and the princes did. He had their entire lives, which was annoying when he saw everything.

“Probably,” Sig groaned. “I hate getting called in front of him. He's so mean~” she whined, sounding much too much like the child Loki had known.

“Can you imagine how I feel? I am supposed to be his son, but I have always been nothing but a pawn to him.”

“You win,” she conceded the point. “Granted the last time I got called in front of him was to take the blame for _your_ bilgesnipe incident,” she reminded him with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. “Why are you putting all of the blame on me for that? You were there too,” he insisted again, just as he had all those centuries ago.

“ _I_ didn’t suggest we lure bilgesnipe into the palace. _I_ said repeatedly that putting bilgesnipe in the morons' lair was a terrible idea,” she replied firmly, her hands on her hips as she mock-glared up at him. “But _you’d_ already been grounded once that month and the Allfather was threatening to send you to hard work in the army stables to keep you out of trouble if you got yourself into _more_ trouble. So I had to take the blame and the grounding so I didn’t lose you,”

Loki sighed and raised his hands in surrender. He wasn’t willing to argue over something that happened so long ago. Sig smirked and accepted her win. The pair laughed together at the old memory, even if Sig _had_ gotten grounded for it.

They both stiffened when there was a knock on Loki’s sitting room door. Loki’s expression became serious, hard, guarded as he moved to answer the door. It was his court mask, Sig realized. “Yes?” He asked the person on the other side. Sigyn’s expression hardened to her court mask too. She had a bad feeling about this.

One of the einherjar was on the other side of Loki’s door. He bowed to Loki before he spoke. “Your highness, the Allfather has requested the presence of Lady Sigyn,” he told Loki. He’d known that Sigyn would be found wherever Loki was.

Sig had expected this and didn’t let her dread show on her face. Loki inclined his head. “We will be there shortly,” he closed the door and didn’t give the guard the opportunity to argue about him going along with Sig to face the Allfather. Sig couldn’t help being terrified at the process of going before Odin. Loki saw her expression and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don't worry, old friend. I will be with you the entire time, I swear it,”

“Be careful making promises to a fae,” she warned him automatically, distracted with her fear of going before Odin. “I doubt he's going to like that I'm fae, or that we're soulbound,” she reminded Loki softly.

“There’s nothing he can do about either. Nor does he scare me any longer. I am no longer a child and I will not allow anything to happen to you,”

Sig was reassured by his words, but sighed and steeled herself. “We'd best get this over with, then…”

He held out his arm for her to take. “Don’t fret, darling. Everything will be alright,” he reassured her. He didn’t seem to notice that he’d slipped into a term of endearment. She wasn’t about to draw it to his attention either. She definitely approved of the development.

/Mother, would you consider sitting in on Sigyn’s meeting with Father? She might need the reassurance, more than what I can offer/ Loki asked Frigga telepathically as Sig laid her hand nervously on his arm. She was already shy around people and the Allfather was scary even when he was in a good mood. In a bad mood, he was downright terrifying.

/I'm already here, darling. As is your brother. Your Father is literally just going to welcome her back to Asgard and congratulate the two of you on the soulbond/

/Have you told him about the fact that she is fae?/

/I have. He is just glad she has been returned to us/

Frigga could feel Loki’s relief over the link between them. /Thank you, Mother/ He cut the connection and returned his attention to Sig.

“My mother informed the Allfather of your current state and of the soulbond. You have nothing to fear,” he reassured her gently.

She sighed in relief. “Your mother is a saint as always,”

“That could not be more true,” he agreed fondly. “She knows how to protect her charges,”

Sig gave him a look. “I'm not in the healing wing…” She wasn’t one of Frigga’s charges.

He chuckled. “True, but Mother has already adopted you. You are her charge in and out of the healing wing, as are Thor’s moronic friends and Lady Sif. Mother has quite a few adopted children,”

She laughed in reply. “Mama Frigga hasn't changed a bit…"

They continued walking to the throne room and it didn’t take long for them to reach the throne room doors. “Are you ready?” Loki asked as tradition dictated.

“No, but let's do it anyway,” she replied per tradition. They both took a steadying breath and donned their court masks before Loki nodded to the guards to admit them to see Odin. 


	13. Chapter 13

Loki nodded to the guards to open the doors and the pair headed into the throne room together.Sig’s hand remained lightly on Loki’s arm as they strode up to the throne.Her back was straight and she walked tall and proud.Or as tall as her short stature could manage. She knew she was dreadfully short in comparison to the proper Asgardians. It was a side effect of the experiments.

Odin was on his throne as expected, Frigga at his side, and Thor on his place on one of the stairs just below them.Seeing the oaf there was reassuring to both Sig and Loki.

/I must take my place on the stairs as well. I won’t be far if you need me/ Loki warned Sig as they neared the stairs.He stopped at the place she was to wait and bowed over her hand to kiss her knuckles before he headed up the stairs to take his place on the other side of the throne from Thor.

/Of course you do/ she grumbled, but didn't let her grumbling show on her face.Instead, when he was in place, she dipped a well-practiced and graceful curtsy to the Allfather.The meeting thankfully went as well as Frigga promised.Odin welcomed her back to Asgard, promised she would always have a home there as a duchess of the court, and congratulated her and Loki on the soulbond.He actually sounded… proud… of his younger son, which confused both Sig and Loki.

Thankfully it was over quickly and Sig was dismissed.She took Loki’s arm again and he escorted her from the room as fast as was seemly. Sig sighed in relief when she was safely out from under the Allfather’s eye and moved to wrap her arms around Loki’s arm instead of her hand on his arm in formal escort, she was nearly hugging his arm in a much more familiar gesture.“Told you it wouldn’t be so bad,” Loki told her warmly, not seeming to mind that she was cuddling his arm.

“It still wasn't fun,” she whined.

He chuckled. “I know. Meeting with the Allfather is never fun,”

“Hopefully I won't have to do that again for a long while,”

Sigyn yelped and shrieked as an arm wrapped around her waist and she found herself over a certain oaf’s shoulder.

Loki snarled. “Brother, put her down or I will stab you again!” Loki growled, daggers appearing in his hands as he whirled to face his brother.

“Put me down or I'll stab you myself!” Sig growled too, blades as long as her arm already in her hands.

Loki smirked.“You best listen to the lady. You do not want that dagger in you, Brother,” he teased, impressed with Sig’s weapons.

Thor sighed and set her on her feet.He did a double-take at the blades in her hands as they were larger than the ones he usually got threatened with.“You have not come to see our friends, since you’ve been home, Loki,” Thor chided his brother, getting back to his original reason for bothering the pair.

Loki rolled his eyes.“They are _your_ friends, brother, not mine,” he replied sourly.

“They consider you a friend for all that you pretend to dislike them,” Thor replied in his usual guilt-tripping way when it came to the morons three.“Come say hello and we'll leave you be.They have not even gotten to see for themselves that our little Sigyn has returned and they were friends with her as well when we were children,”

Loki sighed heavily, hating when his brother pulled a guilt-trip on him.“Fine, but only for a little while,” he finally relented. 

Sig vanished her blades with a sigh and took Loki’s arm again. Her expression quickly turned to a smirk when she came up with a plan./How quickly would we like to get away from the morons?/ she asked Loki as they headed for the morons’ lair.

/As quick as possible. They are the last people I wish to spend time with because all they do is tease me and try to get me drunk./

/I have a trick up my sleeve/ she promised. /Ten minutes tops and we'll be out of there/ she saw his smirk and he seemed relieved that she might get out of there quickly.

She could also see that Thor was suspicious at the lack of fighting on the part of his anti-social brother or his lady, the shy fae.He led them happily to the morons’ lair all the same and there were cheers from the already half-drunk men.Lady Sif raised her mug in greeting, but she was reasonable unlike the moron boys. 

Sig’s hand tightened on Loki's arm out of nerves at the loud men, but she put on a bright smile for them and greeted them like old friends, though she didn't like them any more than Loki did. 

She pulled a bottle of a light white wine from her dimensional pocket.“A gift for you to enjoy,” she told the warrior boys and began pouring out glasses for them and one for herself, as if to prove that it was safe.

/Whatever you do, don't drink this. At least not right now/ she warned Loki, though unnecessarily.He wasn’t stupid, unlike the moron boys.Sig drank hers and the morons downed theirs as well.A minute later the boys were in stupors, drunk off of magic fairy wine.Sig giggled and vanished the bottle.

“Morons,” she teased the drunk things.

Loki laughed.“What did you give them, darling?”

“Fae wine,” she explained with a smirk.“It has magic in it, and drinking only a small glass does that,” she gestured at the dazed boys who were seeing magic and drunk off of it, batting at the colors they were seeing that the others were not.“Which is dangerous were I less honorable, but I'm benevolent and will let the morons just sleep off their stupidity,"

“I will try to not get on your bad side. That looks not very enjoyable,” Loki commented.

“You wouldn't be dumb enough to drink something a fae gives you without asking what it is first.Don't worry, they're enjoying themselves so even Thor can't get mad at me for it,” the boys were giggling while they were high off of magic.Thor was indeed spluttering protests about what she had done to his friends while Sif was laughing her ass off.Loki was too, loving how ridiculous all of the morons looked. “Told you, ten minutes tops,” Sig told Loki with a smirk. 

He offered her a bright smile.“Let’s get out of here, then, shall we?”

“Hey! Put them back!” Thor protested as Sig took Loki’s arm.

She completely ignored Thor as she walked out of the room, leaving the poor morons batting at colors and shapes that no one else could see. Sig and Loki were both laughing at the morons and at Thor’s indignant protests.Loki looked relieved to not have to deal with the morons.

“See? It’s useful to be on my good side,” Sig told Loki warmly as they wandered away from the morons’ lair. 

“I can see that. I'm glad to have you back, old friend,”

“I can’t tell you how glad I am to be back with you, with my best friend,”

At both of their words, the soulbond marks on her arms lit up, shimmering with power.


	14. Chapter 14

Sig shied a little toward Loki when she realized the mark was lighting up. She and Loki were drawing a lot of attention from the people passing them in the palace. She certainly didn't fit in as an Asgardian anymore: she was too short and her coloring was all wrong. She wasn't sure the story had completely spread yet about what had happened to her as a child and how she had come back. The palace could be as bad about gossip as a Midgardian high school.

The story of the soulbond marks on Loki's arm would spread soon. He was one of the princes of Asgard, and while soulbonds were much more common on Asgard than elsewhere in the nine realms, they still weren't _that_ common. It was also strange for him to have a lady on his arm, apparently. He'd never truly gotten over Sigyn's loss.

"I missed you so much," she told Loki softly as she looked up at him. Even though she'd blocked her memories of him, she knew she had been missing something and someone. And Loki had been her family.

Loki had such a kind and carefree smile on his face that it was drawing attention too. No one expected that from the reserved prince. The prince who fancied himself the dark prince of Asgard at that. "I missed you as well, so very much,"

"I'm assuming we're expected for dinner," she started softly, noting the attention they were getting and wanting to get away from it. "Maybe we can find somewhere where fewer people will stare at us to spend our time until then?" she suggested with a smirk. Loki liked hanging out with people about as much as she wanted to be on display for the citizens of Asgard.

Loki nodded. "We are expected for dinner. Why don't we just head to my chambers for now? No one will bother us there. Most people don't bother me," he said and sounded a bit mournful at that.

"Sounds like a plan," she replied warmly and Loki escorted her straight back to his chambers. He didn't want to deal with the onlookers either. Though his carefree loving expression and the soulbond marks on their arms shocked everyone who saw them. Sig was shy when there was too much attention on her. Her unnatural red hair was drawing way too much attention, plus she was walking with Loki.

Loki hadn't been seen with a lady since... Lady Sigyn.

/It's alright. They won't do anything while you're with me. Most people here consider me the Dark Prince of Asgard/ Loki reminded her when he noticed that she was shying closer to his side.

/You? A dark prince? But you're Loki/ she replied, confused as if it were obvious that Loki was as gentle and sweet as she remembered. /Besides, I'm pretty sure they're staring at me. Sidhe-red isn't exactly a common hair color here, or tri-colored eyes, or pointed ears/ she reminded him. In point of fact, she completely stuck out like a sore thumb, though this used to be her home. The fact hurt her, but she tried not to let it show.

/You have not been on Asgard long since your absence. The people's opinions of me have changed drastically. And you are beautiful, fae or Asgardian. There is no difference to me. Do not let their stares bother you./ he told her warmly and she heard in his telepathic voice how much he cared.

/Well, that's stupid of them/ she grumbled. They used to like the polite young bookworm of a prince. Until they ended up on the wrong side of tricks anyway. /I should be used to being stared at by now.../ she continued her grumbles. The pair finally reached Loki's suite and he held the door open for Sig so they could both slip inside away from all of the staring.

"Better?" Loki asked when they were safely alone, the door closed behind them and his shields firmly in place.

Sig sighed in relief and relaxed in the gentle quiet of his cool room. "Much better," she agreed. She gave him a warm smile and kicked off her shoes, curling on the couch in his sitting room with her feet tucked under her, just as she had constantly as a child. It was a second home to her and still felt as such. She waited a moment to see if he was going to choose asking questions or quiet reading for the afternoon's entertainment.

He sat on the other side of the couch and looked her over. Apparently, he chose asking questions. She wasn't surprised, they had a lot to catch up on. "What happened in Underhill that called for your escape?" He asked her softly, seeming to finally find the words he was looking for.

Sig tried to think of how best to explain, especially to someone who wasn't born or raised among the fae. "Do you know anything about fae marriage customs?" she asked instead of jumping right into the explanation.

Loki's eyebrows furrowed. He shook his head. "I never had reason to study the fae before now," he finally said. That made sense, most wouldn't study them without need and no one had known Sig had been taken by the fae.

"Unless a lady has an arranged marriage, she has to marry the man who gets her pregnant. Whether the pregnancy was by her choice or no," she explained softly, looking down at her lap. "I became considered an adult and fair game for marriage and since they wanted to see if one of the changelings turned fae would breed true... I stuck it out for as long as I could, but the queen was pressuring the men of the court, so... it seemed imperative to leave." She risked looking up for Loki' reaction. His eyes widened and she could see the shock on his face and he didn't seem capable of finding words. "So I found one of the doors out of underhill and have hidden from the fae since,"

He pondered that for a minute before he asked. "What would happen if they found you?" He asked her gently

She sighed. She hadn't wanted to tell him this part. "Well, until earlier this afternoon they would have dragged me back to underhill kicking and screaming," she told him softly, hesitant to explain, and she wouldn't have explained at all until he'd accepted the soulbond on his own. She didn't want her safety to be a deciding factor on whether he accepted the soulbond.

He gave her a look since that wasn't really an answer and they both knew it. "What does that mean?" He demanded.

She sighed again. "I wasn't going to tell you," she hedged. "I... didn't want to influence your decision on whether to accept the soulbond..."

"Sigyn, tell me," his voice was firm, the commanding tone of a prince who expected his orders to be obeyed.

She didn't look up at him, but raised her arm with the soulbond marks on it. "This will keep me safe from them," she told him softly. "Even if we never marry, it's enough of a bond for the fae to consider me married and off limits..." she explained, refusing to look at him.

At the edge of her vision, she could see him nodding in acceptance. He seemed to nearly sigh in relief. "At least being bound to me will keep you safe, old friend," he told her warmly, and again she heard the true caring in his tone.

"I didn't want to seem like I was using you," she tried to explain. She hadn't wanted to put any pressure on him.

He moved and took her hands in his. "Sigyn, it's alright. Don't fret over this," he reassured her gently, calmly.

She gave him a small smile. "I just didn't want you to think that the only reason I wanted to keep the soulbond was my own selfish one..."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "You do not have a selfish bone in your body. Don't worry so much," he told her with a grin, looking much like the boy she remembered.

She gave him a small smile in return, then her expression fell. "How much did Mama Frigga lecture you and Thor after I was taken?" she asked him softly. She remembered that day well. The three of them had been told to go into the forest to find potion ingredients for Mama Frigga. Thor and Loki had gotten distracted by beating each other up over something and had promised to catch up once their argument was over. Sigyn had been taken by the fae before they'd finished their argument.

Loki sighed heavily. "A lot. I don't remember mother ever being that angry before or since,"

"I don't think I've ever seen Mama Frigga angry..." she replied, trying to remember. She had been upset and disappointed with them before, but never angry.

"It is not a pretty sight. My mother is frightening when she's angry," he shuddered at the memory. "Though we deserved it. If my oaf of a brother and I hadn't been fighting, you would not have been taken from us,"

"Or we would've all been taken. They slipped past Heimdall and the Einherjar," she reminded him logically.

"They would have gotten what they wanted. They could have taken me rather than you," he told her firmly and she saw the guilt he'd been carrying for centuries. He blamed himself that she'd been taken. But the royal forest was supposed to be safe. It had been regularly patrolled and cleared out of dangers so the princelings and their companions could play there safely.

Sig shook her head firmly. "That would have just been worse for everyone, especially you. I've already told you that you would not have fared well among the fae, not when your true heritage was revealed, and it would have been revealed a _lot_ faster," she reminded him that she'd been able to break his illusions with just one sentence. Not many could do anything similar, but they would have managed.

It was his turn to shake his head. "I would have preferred it rather than have you taken. You didn't deserve that,"

"No one does," she replied. "And I wouldn't have wished it on my worst enemy, less on my best friend,"

She saw his warm smile at being called her best friend. "I would have done anything to keep you safe. Even if it meant becoming fae,"

"I'm still glad you didn't have to live through that," she told him softly. Her eyes glazed as she remembered something. "Did anyone ever find the door to underhill?" she asked, not remembering how little he knew about the fae or underhill, but needing to know if that doorway was still open.

Loki shook his head. "Many tried to find out where you were taken. It seems the fae magic can hide itself from even Asgardian eyes,"

She thought through her options quickly and cursed softly when she came to the obvious conclusion. "I should go seal it..." she finally said softly.


	15. Chapter 15

Loki’s eyes widened at Sig’s suggestion.He didn’t like the idea that she’d be going into danger alone.He didn’t like the idea of her going into danger.At all.Sig watched him fight back to urge to tell her that she couldn’t go, that she had to stay in the palace where she’d be safe.He wanted her safe and away from the fae, which she didn’t blame him, but she also knew she had to close the door to Underhill.He finally spoke after all those same thoughts crossed his mind.“Can I help?” He asked gently. 

Sig was relieved that he didn’t try to stop her.He just wanted to help and keep her safe while she did what they both knew she had to. She gave him a warm smile, but raised her eyebrow a moment later, back to teasing him.“Like you’d actually let me go into the royal forest too close a door to underhill alone?” she asked, teasing him. She’d been counting on him coming with her and would have been shocked if he hadn’t.

He chuckled in reply and she could tell he was pleased that she wasn’t fighting him about joining her.Sig accepted that he was coming with her, was expecting it even.“True. After what happened, I would rather not let you out of my sight in the royal forest,”

“I know, but we really shouldn’t let a door to underhill remain open in the royal forest…”

He sighed and nodded.“Should we go then?”

Sig could tell he didn’t want to go any more than she did, but they had to so she stood from the couch with a sigh.She had to do this and this stupid idea was hers to begin with.She let her armor shimmer into place as she stood: a metal chest plate over a thigh-length purple tunic, black leggings, gauntlets, and sturdy boots. She wasn’t going to go into potential danger without armor, without weapons.Her long blades were in sheathes at her back, in the perfect position to draw quickly.Loki donned his armor as well, including his horned helmet.“I’m hoping there’s no trouble, but this door is the one the fae would look for me to be near,” she explained as she started to walk from Loki’s suite, her best friend at her side.Loki followed right beside her, not willing to risk her safety or risk losing her again.

She gave him a warm smile, recognizing his worry for what it was.“I’ll be fine, Lokes. I’m a whole lot stronger now than when we were kids,” she reminded him.She was a trained warrior and battle mage, plus she was a healer on top of it all.“I told you already that you either need allies or to be strong to survive the fae courts. And I had no allies,” she explained to him softly.Loki looked horrified at that realization.She’d had to fight every day of her life to survive. That was the absolute last thing he’d ever wanted for her when they were children.

“I am not willing to risk it. I just got you back, I do not wish to lose you again,”

“I know, love, which is why you’re coming along to help,” she replied as she walked.She clearly wasn’t considering her words before she spoke since she just called him ‘love’.Oops.“You just don’t have to be quite so worried,” she added with a smirk. 

He gave her a matching smirk.“True. You do seem pretty formidable. Maybe I can challenge you to a duel when we finish our little mission?”

She grinned at him, offering a joking challenge.“Think you can handle it, Trickster?” she teased.She noticed that people were staring as they walked, but this time it was clear they were wondering why Loki was in armor more than anything else. 

Loki chuckled.“I should be the one asking you that,” he replied. He was obviously confident in his abilities.

She laughed in reply.“You’re on,” she teased.She knew she’d beat him hands down. Hopefully, he figured that out before he challenged her for real. She mourned for his soul if he didn’t.Though a simple sparring match was safe enough.She wouldn’t really hurt him.“What do she know about underhill?” she asked as they made it to the forest.She remembered the way to the door to Underhill well, now that she was remembering things from the past.She knew the path, she knew what herbs they’d been going to fetch that day.She’d replayed the day thousands of times in her very long life, though she’d forgotten the pieces about the princes.

“Just that it’s the realm of the fairies. Besides that, I know little else,” he admitted.

She nodded and chatted conversationally as they walked through the woods together.“It’s the realm of the fae, home to the two fae courts. It’s not like the other realms that can be connected by bifrost, though. It can only be accessed by magic doorways and exists between the realms. It’s kind of like Valhalla. It can be accessed from any realm, but only if one knows the way. In the case of Valhalla, it’s dying a warriors death and it’s better to have a guide of a Valkyrie. In the case of Underhill, it’s entering through one of the magic doorways and it's much better to have the guide of a fae,” she explained. 

Loki took in her words and looked interested.“Good to know,” he commented, clearly mulling over what she’d said and explained to him.He seemed curious and like he’d be doing more studying to understand Sig and the people she’d had to live with.Plus the fae were interesting to those who weren’t fae.They were mysterious and deadly.

“Can you feel it?” Sig asked Loki when they reached the doorway near the patch of herbs.Frigga favored this particular patch as they had strong healing herbs in it. She felt the doorway as they approached, but she knew the feel of underhill.She saw Loki look around and his gaze seemed to land on the doorway, but she could see that he couldn’t see more than a ripple in his vision.They could both feel the power that radiated from the doorway, that came in from Underhill.She saw him working at it and took his hand in hers, sharing power with him through the soulbond.The lines of power on her arms lit up as she did.

She saw his eyes widen as the doorway appeared clearly in front of him.“Now that’s impressive,” he commented as he stared at the door between the realms. 

She nodded. “That is one of the many many doorways to Underhill. I’d be willing to take you to see it sometime, but not through this doorway. This one needs to be closed. It’s too near the palace,”

Loki nodded emphatically.He remembered the day she’d been taken well and wanted her safe.He wanted all of the palace children safe, but more importantly, he wanted Sig to be safe and she wouldn’t be safe with a doorway that close.“How can I help?” he asked, automatically jumping in to help her, no matter what it took or what he had to do.

“Unfortunately, you get the boring job of standing guard. It takes fae magic to close and seal one of the doorways,” she explained.It was more complicated than that, but he really couldn’t help with this more than standing guard. So he didn’t need to know all of the details.

“If you need anything else, I’ll be here.” Loki had thought that since they were soulbound he might be able to help more.He was wrong, but it was sweet that he cared enough to try.

Sig nodded and dropped his hand, breaking his ability to see the doorway clearly.Power shimmered around her as she stepped up to the doorway.She drew a smaller belt knife from its sheath and dragged it across her palm before Loki could figure out what she was doing and stop her.She couldn’t help wincing in pain as the blade cut into her skin.

Blood magic was illegal on Asgard.The royal family would forgive her for performing it, especially when they knew why. 

She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together, getting blood on both of her palms. She spread her hands again and reached to the doorway.She grabbed the edges of the doorway and pulled on them, dragging the edges together, forcing the doorway closed.It finally vanished with a pop and the feeling of power coming from it vanished as well. She sagged in relief and power drain when it was done. Loki immediately felt the change in magical energy as well. “I assume it’s done?” he asked to confirm.

She nodded as the power shimmering around her faded away.“It’s done,”

Loki sighed in relief. “Thank the Norns.Shall we return to the palace? It’s almost time for dinner.” Sig nodded and summoned a roll of bandage to begin to wind around her bleeding hand. Loki took her hand in his before she could and raised her hand, pressing his lips against her palm.With that romantic gesture and a shimmer of green magic, the wound on her hand was healed.“Healing isn’t my specialty, but I can handle small things,” he told her warmly and she saw his caring gentle smile and recognized the sweet child he’d been in the man he’d become.


	16. Chapter 16

Sig smiled at Loki’s romantic gesture, her expression soft, the light in her eyes warm and full of caring.She appreciated that he cared enough to heal the wound for her. “I can heal others about as well as Mama Frigga can,” she paused and remembered that she was an adult now and should probably refer to Frigga in a more appropriate manner “the Allmother,” she corrected quickly and she saw Loki’s smirk at her correction.“I can’t heal myself though, especially not wounds made for blood magic…”

“That makes sense. Though blood magic is a dangerous thing…” it was also illegal on Asgard, but he wasn’t calling her on it, not when it had been necessary.And she’d used her own blood for it. 

“It is,” she agreed.“Unfortunately it’s the only way to open or close a door to Underhill without a lot more power than I’m prepared to use right now.” It was possible to close the doors in other ways, but it was difficult at best and dangerous at worst.

Loki sighed and nodded in acceptance. “Just try not to use it around the palace. Mother even banned me from learning that type of magic,”

She nodded her agreement quickly. “I’m not surprised the Allmother has banned the learning of blood magic.It is too easily corrupted. Don’t worry, I’d never use anyone else’s blood and I’m very careful about using it at all. I think even she’ll forgive me for using it to close one of the doors to Underhill,”

“After what you told me about what happened to you there, you’re probably right.” He wouldn’t speak for Frigga, but he knew his mother well enough to know how she’d likely react.

“She won’t want the possibility of other children being kidnapped, especially not so close to the palace where it’s supposed to be safest,” Sig reminded him.Frigga was protective of her people, which wasn’t surprising at all of Asgard’s queen.

Loki nodded his agreement. “It would not be good for more Asgardian children to be taken from their homes,” he said sadly.He’d remembered the day that Sig was taken far too well. 

“There’s other doors on Asgard, but none close enough to be a danger right this moment,” she told him as they headed back to the palace.“And strong enough fae can open new ones…” it was a rare skill and only the strongest of the fae could manage it, but it was a possibility that they needed to be aware of. 

Loki nodded his understanding again and she could see the concern in his expression.“Should I inform my mother or the Allfather of the possibility of more kidnappings?” Sig noted the distinction between Frigga being called ‘my mother’ and Odin being called by his title.Things between Odin and Loki were rocky indeed for that to be his term of address.That wasn’t surprising with everything that Loki had gone through.

“I’m sure they’re aware of the possibility, though it sounds like they might not know about the doorways? That’s how the fae slipped past Heimdall all those centuries ago.I don’t think he can see the doorways,” she told Loki.Heimdall was supposed to be able to see everything, but even he wasn’t infallible.Odin and Frigga needed to know there was a weakness in the realm’s defenses.

He nodded.“I will inform them of the doorways. They will need to keep an eye on them. If there are any other strong magicians here, they should be able to feel the magic the doorways give off,” he told her, trying to sound reassuring. 

Sigyn wasn’t reassured.

“They can’t close them,” she reminded him.He seemed to have forgotten that point.Knowing where the doorways were wasn’t good enough.

“I know, but they can keep an eye on them. Especially if the fae decide they want to take more Asgardian children,” he reasoned.Anything was better than nothing until they could figure out how to deal with the portals.

“Do you really expect the Allfather to allow the matter to rest there when I can close them? Especially when no one else here can?” Sig didn’t believe for one moment that Odin was going to let her out of this without closing the rest of the doorways, especially any doorways that were too close to the population.

Loki sighed, seeing her point.“No, but he won’t argue with Mother once we inform her of what it requires you to do,”

Sig wasn’t convinced by that logic.Odin would do anything to keep Asgard safe, including convincing his wife that a little blood magic was allowed. Or that overworking the only person who could close the doorways was worth the risk to get the doorways closed.“If I have a map, I can at least pinpoint the locations of the doorways for them,” she told Loki softly.She didn’t tell him how strong of a fae it took to close the doorways.She figured he didn’t know and there was no need to inform him at this juncture.

Loki nodded.“We will do what we can,”

By then the pair had made it back to the palace.Sig paused just inside, trying to determine what the plan was.“Are you telling them about the doorways before or after dinner?” she asked.She’d lost track of how much time they had before dinner, and how much time it had taken to close the doorway.

“After,” Loki decided after a small pause to consider.“Let’s enjoy dinner before we have to deal with business.”


	17. Chapter 17

Loki and Sigyn walked together to the great hall for dinner.Their armor shimmered to court clothes as they walked, each using their own magic for it.Sig noted that she and Loki both chose clothes that allowed the soulbond marks on their arms to be clearly, proudly, visible. Sig started to worry as they neared the great hall. She remembered something as they walked together, her place used to be at one of the tables with her mother and other nobles. She didn’t know where she’d be now and she didn’t remember anyone really except the royal family and Thor’s dumb friends.Loki held out his arm for her to take. “Would you be up to sitting with me and my family?” He asked her gently, seeming to know where her thoughts had wandered to.

Sig was shocked but took his arm automatically.“But… only the royal family sits at the head table…” She’d heard that line thousands of times over the first couple of centuries of her life when she used to demand from her mother why she couldn’t sit next to her best friend at dinner. 

“Things have changed.With the soulbond, you are considered part of the royal family now,” Loki reminded her gently.That consideration hadn’t occurred to her yet, nor him either if he was to be honest.“Besides, my mother wouldn’t have it any other way,” he added with a warm smile. Mama Frigga adopted everyone who came into her children’s lives.

It was strange to Sig that she was considered part of the royal family now when she and Loki weren’t even officially courting.She wasn’t quite sure what they were, except that she had her best friend back, and for now, that was enough.It was still strange that just because she had power lines on her arm, a soulbond mark with Loki, that made her a member of the royal family. She wasn’t getting over that fact anytime soon. She squeezed his arm glad he was there. “Then I’ll gladly sit with you,” she told him warmly.His bright smile was completely worth her nerves and they continued on their way to the great hall.

Sig walked with Loki happily and looked over the statues and decorations on the way, noting which ones she remembered from her childhood.“Should I don an illusion too?” she asked him softly, in case it made things easier on him.Or on them both.She knew her strange looks drew a lot of attention.She looked nothing like a proper Asgardian anymore.

Loki’s eyebrows furrowed in that look of confused concentration Sig knew so well.It was the same look he had as a child when trying to work through a difficult problem.It brought a warm smile to her face as she remembered.“What do you mean?” he finally asked her, legitimately confused.

“You aren’t the only one with the power of illusions, trickster,” she told him with a smirk.With a shimmer of power, an illusion settled over her and Loki was no longer looking at the fae he’d come to know, but an older version of his Sigyn with long golden hair and blue eyes, with normal non-pointed ears, though with the green lines of power still on her skin.

Loki froze in disbelief as he looked at her.“Wow. You look so much like the little girl I used to know…” he said in awe.

She laughed at her silly best friend. “Of course I do. This is what I would have looked like had the fae not gotten ahold of me,” she told him as if that were obvious.He was being dense that day in her opinion. 

Loki nodded and considered his next words carefully.“You don’t need to hide behind an illusion though,” he reassured her. “I hide behind once because most Asgardians hate frost giants, and I hate that I’m one of them,” he explained.There wasn’t pity in his voice, just a fact.“Plus, I’ve been wearing it all of my life, even though I didn’t know it until a few years ago,”

Sig hesitated, unsure.“You don’t prefer-?” She couldn’t get the rest of the question out, unsure if he would say yes and be unable to accept her for who she was now.

“I care about you either way. I don’t care what you look like, I care about _you_ ,” he reassured her firmly.There was no ounce of lie in his voice. 

She hesitated a moment longer, unsure, but let her illusion slowly fade away.“If you’re sure…”

“I would not lie to you, I know better. Besides, you would be able to tell if I was lying,”

“That may be what the Sigyn you knew would have looked like, but this is who I am now,” she said softly when her illusion was gone and she was back to her usual fae looks.

He gave her a warm, reassuring smile.“I know. And you’re beautiful,”

She gave him a small tentative smile since he wasn’t lying.“And you’re handsome, my prince,” she replied warmly. 

“Thank you, darling,” he replied just as warmly. 

They finally reached the dining hall and Loki paraded Sig on his arm as he led her to the head table where the royal family sat.He led her straight to the chair beside his and pulled it out for her.His chair was between hers and his mother’s.

“Careful thanking a fae,” she teased, trying to ignore the stares from the nobles as she was seated at the head table. She gave him a warm smile of appreciation as he pulled out her chair for her. 

“What happens if I thank a fae, little one?” Loki asked her, more curious than anything. He was always that way when teased with new knowledge.

She pondered over how best to explain it to him.“It implies enough gratitude for whatever you are thanking them for that they can claim you owe them a favor in return.And you do not want to be indebted to one of the fae,” she explained.She wouldn’t hurt Loki, but she knew there were plenty of fae who would if give the opportunity.

He nodded, accepting the reality and the seriousness of her words. “I shall keep that in mind.” Sig nodded her approval and glanced over at the morons’ table where they seemed to have gotten over the worst of the fairy win, though they seemed hungover. she laughed quietly at them. Loki looked over as well and saw how hungover they were too.“That is certainly some powerful wine,” he commented approvingly.He hated that they always tried to get him drunk.This was definite recompense.

She smirked. “None of the morons have magic of their own, so they have no immunity to fae wine.You could have some and not be nearly so affected, as long as you were careful,”

“That’s a relief. I might wish to try some at some point,” he was willing to try almost anything, especially when it had to do with magic.

“I'll share.And even be kind enough to make sure you don't drink too much of it,” she added teasingly.

He chuckled. “I appreciate that.” 

She noted that he carefully hadn’t thanked her, which earned him a grin.“You’re learning,” she told him warmly, noting how her light conversation felt like… home.

“Brother! You actually joined us for once instead of hiding in your room with your books,” Thor greeted Loki too loudly jovially when he arrived to dinner. 

Loki rolled his eyes and Sig hid a laugh behind her glass of wine.“I did not wish to leave Sigyn alone with you and your hungover friends,” he replied dryly.

“Speaking of, that was a cruel trick on your old friends, Lady Sigyn,” Thor told her with a glare.It wasn’t a severe glare, not really, but it was a glare nevertheless. 

Sig shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but her hand gripped Loki’s too tightly in nerves.Upset males made her cringe and shy away.“They should know better than to accept gifts of drink from the fae…” she replied softly, shyly.“And I didn't hurt them,”

Loki glared at his brother for making Sig tense up when he’d just gotten her to relax.“They were asking for it,”

“They simply wished to see their friends,” Thor replied, but he was cut off from making things worse by Odin and Frigga arriving. Which made Sig stiffen even worse.

Odin was always scary.


	18. Chapter 18

The entire court had to stand when Odin and Frigga entered the hall.Thor had to rush to stand by his seat next to Odin’s, since he wasn’t in the right spot.Oaf.The king and queen made their way to the head table and Frigga kissed Loki’s cheek as she moved to take her own seat next to him.

Odin remained standing for a moment and it was he who made things worse on Sig’s nerves. “It is my honor to announce that Lady Sigyn Freyadotir, duchess of Asgard, Goddess of Fidelity has been found and returned to us after so many centuries. Not only that but she and my son Loki have become soulbound,” he announced, sounding proud of both of these occurrences.Loki was surprised that Odin sounded proud about him, though he kept his expression carefully neutral.He didn’t want the court to see that he was wary of Odin’s response.He kept his expression calm, especially since Sigyn was digging her nails into Loki’s hand and had been since Odin spoke her full name with her titles. Loki covered her hand with his, trying to ease her nerves and fear.He sensed her emotions and didn’t like them.

Names had power.Sigyn knew that better than most.And Odin had just announced hers for the entire court. Announced who and what she was like it was nothing.

And it scared the absolute shit out of her.

Odin finally sat and dinner was served. “Sorry,” Sig murmured to Loki when she saw nail marks in his hand while they were being served.She used a drop of power to heal the marks she’d left.

Loki gave her a reassuring smile, gentle and loving and not at all like the dark prince that the court thought him to be. “Don’t worry about it, darling,”

“I wish he hadn’t done that,” she said softly, still on edge from having her name announced like that.She was in the habit of hiding her truename.“Also where in the nine realms did ‘Goddess of Fidelity’ come from?” she asked in shock, finally getting to that part of the problem.She’d never had that title before she was taken.

“It was what you were supposed to be the goddess of before you were taken by the fae,” Loki explained.

“I don’t think I ever knew that…” she replied softly.She couldn’t remember knowing that before and that didn’t seem like something she’d forget or make herself forget.

“I didn’t officially receive my godhead until I was around 500, but mother knew what I would be since I was a child.I imagine it was the same for you.” Loki told her.

Sig considered that and nodded. “But you’re a prince. Of course, you’d receive a godhead at some point. I’m not royalty,” she reminded him quite logically in her opinion.

He chuckled.“Darling, you are my best friend and have been since we were children.You’re close to my mother and a noble of Asgard. All nobles receive a godhead,” he reminded her.Clearly she’d forgotten.

Sig closed her eyes and seemed to have remembered something when she opened them again. “Mama was goddess of beauty,” she said softly as she remembered that tidbit.Loki gave her a small sad smile and wrapped an arm around her reassuringly.She gave him a small smile in return.“I think the court is about to blow a gasket over the dark prince touching a lady,” she teased him to lighten the mood again.

He chuckled warmly and it was nice to hear the old familiar sound of his laughter again. “Like I care. They can think of me however they wish. It doesn’t faze me,”

“Sure it doesn’t, peacock,” she teased him warmly.

Frigga turned to her son during dinner.“Have you been enjoying showing her lady around the palace?” she asked him kindly. 

“I actually haven’t had a chance to yet,” he admitted a bit sheepishly. “Though, on that note, there is something we wish to speak to you about after dinner. Without Father,” he added quickly, too vehemently.

Too quickly.

Frigga raised an eyebrow, but didn’t seem concerned about the request.“Of course, darling,” she replied just as warmly and kindly as she always was. She gave him a conspiratorial smile.“After dinner or after you have a dance with your lady?”

He chuckled. “You read my mind, Mother,” he said warmly

She laughed.“I know you well, my darling,” she replied, then glanced at the morons’ table, where the morons were looking particularly hungover and subdued.“Do you know what happened to Thor’s friends? They’re remarkably quiet tonight…”

Sig and Loki shared an amused look. “That is a long story, Mother,” Loki replied, since he didn’t really want to go into it right now. Especially if it could possibly get them in trouble. Sig looked a bit sheepish since Thor wasn’t pleased with her for that trick on his friends. 

Frigga gave them both a knowing smile.“And some things never change…” she said, clearly amused by their antics, especially since they hadn’t really hurt anything.

Loki chuckled.“You know you love how mischievous I am,” he told her, giving her a boyish grin.He was never so open with anyone else in the court other than his mother and Sigyn.

“It does tend to cause excitement around here. The palace is dreadfully dull without you. And mischief that leads to those three being quiet is definitely appreciated,”

Loki kissed her cheek. “It is dreadfully dull on Midgard without you as well, Mother. It is always good to come home just to spend time with you. And I’m happy to bring a little excitement back with me,” he added with a mischievous smirk.

“You shall have to enlighten me on how you subdued them though. It seems like a useful skill,” Frigga mused.The morons were usually quite loud and obnoxious.Their only redeeming quality was that they were skilled warriors.

“Let’s just say my soulbond has many tricks up her sleeves,”

“I expect no less of one who is worthy of your affections, my darling,” Frigga told him warmly before turning to Sig to try to goad she into speaking.They’d both noticed that Sigyn had gotten shy with all the attention.

/What has you so tight-lipped, darling?/ Loki asked when he noticed how shy Sigyn had gotten.

/I... I’m just not used to positive attention anymore... especially from those in power.../ she tried to explain, though she doubted her explanation would be coherent to anyone besides herself.

/I’m sorry to hear that/ Sigyn heard understanding in his tone./But remember, you belong here. You have nothing to fear from my family. Besides the Allfather, the rest of us have nothing to hide from you/

/I know. It’s just hard. And they’re still expecting the little girl they knew. Also not calling her ‘mama Frigga’ anymore is hard~/ she whined the last, but she opened up more to Frigga when the subject changed from her past to safer subjects like general magic studies.And Loki.

/My Mother would probably love to hear you call her Mama Frigga. I know she misses being called that. And I’m sure she realizes that you are not the same girl you once were. My mother is not naive/

/Probably is not enough when propriety and the royal family are involved/ she reminded him, noting that Frigga seemed happy that she was willing to talk about something, even if it wasn’t herself.And Frigga was having a touch too much fun telling stories of younger Loki and Thor to make Sig laugh. 

Loki was getting more and more embarrassed by all of the stories and turning more and more purple in embarrassment.“Mother, please~” he whined at a particularly embarrassing old story.Frigga laughed and Loki’s whining and switched to a story of one of his accomplishments instead.

/She refuses to answer questions about herself more than what magic she’s studied. I had to get her talking about something/ Frigga explained to Loki telepathically.Her cadence in the story she was telling didn’t change, so no one had any idea she and Loki were speaking.It was a skill they’d perfected years ago.

/She’s still adjusting to being shown any form of affection. Life in underhill was not easy for her/

/I wish we knew what happened there. We might be able to figure out how to best help her/ Frigga replied.She then, politely, to Loki at least, changed the topic of conversation to the differences between fae and Asgardian magic which is something Sig could lecture them on at length.

/I do as well. I’m sure she will tell me eventually but I do not plan to force it out of her./

/Wise decision, darling/

Dinner finally ended after a delicious dessert and Odin left the second it was over, claiming work to do. As soon as he was gone, Loki stood and held out his hand to Sigyn.“Sigyn would you honor me with the first dance?” he asked her formally.

She looked up at him and gave him a warm, bright, smile as she placed her hand lightly in his, getting carefully to her feet.“The honor would be mine, my prince,” she saw how much he lit up every time she called him that. 

He smiled brightly and led her straight out to the middle of the dance floor.The pair drew the attention of the entire court because of who they were.Her exotic looks and the soulbond marks didn’t help matters any, nor did Loki being one of the princes.The music started and Sig took her position automatically, clearly knowing what she was doing.She’d danced in the fae courts for centuries.Loki took his position with her and the dance began.They were both wonderfully graceful and a sight to behold, gliding effortlessly across the dance floor. They both appeared to be floating across the dance floor and their eyes were lit up in joy.Sigyn didn’t notice when she started to literally shine with joy as she danced. 

They danced together for a long while before the spell of the music and memories broke around them and at nearly the same time they both remembered that they had to talk with Frigga about the fae doorways. 

Neither wanted the night to end, but duty called.


	19. Chapter 19

Loki noted that Sig’s eyes and skin stopped shining as she walked off the dance floor.She hadn’t even realized she had been shining in the first place.Loki thought her beautiful, thought her shining even moreso.

Frigga was waiting for the pair, sitting at the head table, where she’d been watching them dance.“Ready to talk, darlings?” she asked them when they approached.

Loki inclined his head. “Would you wish to go somewhere more private to talk, Mother?” he asked politely, especially polite when the court was nearby.He couldn’t tell his mother that they needed to talk elsewhere, that would be rude, but he _could_ make the suggestion.

She nodded and stood gracefully.“We can discuss matters in my sitting room,” she told them warmly and led the way with the air of no-nonsense.It was just like Frigga.She chatted with them about light things as the three of them walked, namely how lovely Sig and Loki had been dancing together.

When they arrived, one of Frigga’s handmaids served them all tea before they were left alone.“What was it you wished to discuss, darlings?” Frigga asked once they were alone and away from prying ears. 

Loki looked over to Sigyn to explain.This was her story, after all, and she was more knowledgeable about the subject than he was.

Sig sighed and steeled herself, taking a fortifying sip of tea before she carefully explained the doorways to underhill to Frigga.She told her how she’d closed the one in the royal forest, the one she’d been taken through as a child.She paused again before she told Frigga that there were more scattered around Asgard and how they could only be opened or closed with fae magic.And not just fae magic, but blood magic.She spoke for what felt like too long explaining everything before she could finally stop.She stared at the cup of tea cradled in her hands while Frigga digested her words.

Frigga was a queen and wasn’t held incapacitated by surprise.She jumped right into figuring out how to correct the situation. “What assistance do you require of me?” she asked, focusing her words to Loki when she realized that Sig had gotten shy from talking for so long.

“It would be best if we had powerful magicians keep an eye on the doorways. They may not be able to see them but they can sense the shift in magical energy. There could possibly be other attempts to kidnap more Asgardian children,” Loki suggested.That was the first step, protect the children.

Frigga looked understandably concerned at that.“Is there no other way to close them? I would rather not have out people in danger…” she didn’t approve of blood magic.She never had and never would, but if it was the only way to keep the children safe, she would make an exception.

Sigyn and Loki both shook their heads. “Only fae magic can close them. Their magic differs greatly from ours and is extremely powerful,” Loki explained so Sig didn’t have to.

Frigga looked between them and asked the question they were both dreading before Loki could stop her.This wasn’t what he wanted.Not at all.This wasn’t what any of them wanted. “I do not ask lightly and I do not ask for myself, but for the sake of the children. Would you be willing to close these portals to keep the children safe?” Frigga asked Sigyn gently.Frigga knew what it would cost to ask, what her request entailed.

“Mother-” Loki protested quickly before Sig could automatically agree to make Mama Frigga happy.“I have seen what this spell does. It takes a lot of energy and power to close the gates. It would severely drain her at best,” he said nervously.He didn’t want to put Sig through that

That made Frigga fret. She didn’t like the idea of the doorways remaining open.She didn’t like that her people could be in danger, especially if there was a solution.But she didn’t want to put Sig in danger either.

“Is there a map of Asgard handy?” Sig asked them softly.“I can pinpoint the locations of the doors and we can at least see what we’re working with…” she suggested.It wouldn’t hurt to at least have an idea of how bad the situation was.

Loki summoned a map and spread it out on the table.Sig nodded her thanks and pulled a pouch of fairy dust from her dimensional pocket and sprinkled it over the map with a touch of power.Pinpoints of light shone on the map with the locations of all of the doors.There were far fewer here than there were on Midgard.It was difficult to make doorways into Asgard without Heimdall noticing and took quite a lot of power to do so. All there of them evaluated the portals and how close they were to cities and towns.In the end, there were five right outside of crowded populated areas.Five that needed to be closed quickly.There were others of course, many others.But they were far enough away from the populated areas to not be of immediate concern, since Heimdall could watch over them if he knew where they were.

“Asgard is better protected than most of the other realms,” Sigyn explained when she noted Loki’s surprise.He still looked concerned, especially after she added: “I can do it…” when Frigga looked at her expectantly to see if it were possible to close the doorways.Loki knew how taxing the doorways would be on her.

“I’m still not sure this is such a good idea…” Loki protested carefully.He didn’t want to upset his mother, but he didn’t want anything to happen to Sig either.They both looked concerned, though Frigga was torn between concern for Sigyn and for the children who were in danger while the doorways remained open.The fae were known for their love of stealing children.“This will be severely taxing on you, darling. I saw how much energy it took to close that one door. Five will weaken you severely. I do not wish for you to be put into danger just because you had to close these doors,” Loki told Sig, worry dripping from his silver tongue.

She nodded her agreement.“It will be taxing. And I won’t be able to defend myself while I’m closing them or for probably a couple of days after. So this task would require a guard as escort and travel arrangements,” she didn’t know how to teleport, and she wouldn’t waste the power for it even if she did.

“I will be going with you. I will not let you do this alone,” Loki told her firmly, his tone leaving no room for arguments.

She nodded again. “I expected nothing less,” she replied warmly.Her best friend, her soulbond was concerned for her.That was also usual.She had already assumed he was going on this quest with her. 

“Take your brother, Sif, and the warriors three with you as well,” Frigga ‘suggested’.Her suggestion was in that mom tone of a direct order.She wanted the doorways closed but didn’t want either Sig nor Loki in undo danger either.

Loki nodded, though he wanted to deal with the morons about as much as Sig did.He’d do whatever he needed to in order to keep her safe.

/Does that mean we need to camp with the morons?/ Sig whined at him.She didn’t think Loki would be able to teleport the group of them all over the realm.So they’d be riding.Which meant camping. 

/Probably/ he didn’t sound pleased by that prospect either.

/Joy.../ she replied with as much sarcasm in her tone as she could muster. 

Frigga promised to have the warriors three and Sif told that they were heading out first thing in the morning.She also promised to have all their provisions packed and ready for them for when they headed out.A suitable mount for Sigyn would also be chosen.Sigyn and Loki both nodded their acceptance of the plans.“Thank you, Mother,” Loki said politely

Frigga nodded and turned to Sig and Sig knew that she was about to thank her for taking on this quest. /You should stop her before she can finish that sentence/ she told Loki quickly.This was too big of a favor for her to thank a fae for, even if Sig would never do anything with it.It still grated against centuries of instincts.

Loki put his hand up to stop Frigga from speaking.“Apologies, Mother. Sigyn warned me that it’s actually bad to thank a fae,” he explained and went into the explanation behind it.Frigga raised an eyebrow, but nodded in acceptance. 

/Not that I would… but it's a really bad habit to get into when fae are around.../ Sig told Loki shyly and hoped Frigga wouldn’t think less of her, or think that she’d actually hurt her.

/I understand. It’s always good to be wary/

Frigga suggested that Sig and Loki get some rest before their quest.They both understood that she was telling them to go away so she could have the preparations made for them.

Loki chuckled and kissed Frigga’s cheek before offering Sig his arm to escort her from the room.“I’m sorry, Sigyn. If there was a way I could help you close these gates, I would,” he told her softly, pain in his voice.

“It's alright.I knew it was going to come to me closing them,” she reminded him as they walked back to her own rooms.“There's not that many to close immediately, so it's really not a big deal…” she tried to convince herself of that.

“Blood magic always takes a toll,” Loki replied, unconvinced by her words.“Five doorways will drain you immensely,”

“I'm not saying it won’t,” she agreed. “But it would be worse if there were more doorways.Besides, there's no denying your mother,” she reminded him, teasing a little “So it was really best to just agree to it and not spend all night arguing.This way we can get some sleep before we head out,”

“True. My mother is not someone we can argue with. Though the fact we are stuck with the morons will not be very fun,”

“That will not, maybe I’ll just get them drunk off fae wine again... at least while they're not actively guarding us,”

They made it back to the hallway where both of their suites were.They were right across the hall from each other.She wondered briefly if he was going to invite her to spend the rest of the evening, at least until bed, in his company.He seemed to enjoy or at least tolerate her company.

He gave her a warm smile.“Would you like to join me in my chambers for a cup of tea before bed, darling?” he asked just as warmly. He didn’t seem to want to be alone right them either. A cup of tea could turn to many and was an excuse to spend time together.Without the expectation of sex, which they weren’t quite ready for yet.

Sig nodded and gave him a warm smile in return.She curled up on one end of his sitting room couch in comfortable pajamas that she’d magicked on.Loki sat on the other end and the pair chatted for hours, sipping on tea, catching up on their lives.It felt so normal and just like old times.They talked until they both get tired of talking and summoned books to enjoy the quiet solitude together.

She didn’t notice when the book got heavy in her hands.When her eyes wouldn’t stay open.When her head rested against the back of the couch. 

She knew she was comfortable with Loki. 

She hadn’t realized she trusted him enough to fall asleep in his presence.

It brought a fond warm smile to her face that she was truly safe here with her best friend.

With her soulbond.


	20. Chapter 20

Sigyn dreamt of having her book removed from her hands.There was a soft masculine chuckle.She dreamt of strong cold arms lifting her from the couch to cradle her against an equally cold chest.She dreamt of a soft bed, warm blankets, and cold soft lips pressing against her forehead with a whispered bid for her to sleep well.

But it was all a dream.

Or so she thought until she woke the next morning in her own bed with no real recollection of how she’d gotten there.

It was definitely her bed in her suite.Her suite had barely changed in the centuries she’d been gone.It was almost as if Frigga had expected she would come home.The rooms had been updated, the bed was an adult size, the clothes modern and new, the toys gone, but her books were still on their shelves, the furniture in the same place.The colors were all the same. It felt like home, because it was.

She climbed out of bed and summoned riding clothes to wear. It was a fight with the maids that she didn’t need their help getting dressed.She’d missed having maids, even if she did find them annoying most of the time.At least she didn’t have to worry about her baths being hot, her clothes clean, or her rooms clean.But she was perfectly capable of summoning riding clothes consisting of a forest green tunic that complimented her sidhe red hair, black leggings suitable for riding, and her boots, since she wouldn’t need her full armor until she got closer to the doorway. She braided her hair back out of her way, though it left her pointed ears exposed. 

Dressed, she headed across the hall, entering Loki’s suite with no more than a tap on his door as warning.It was so familiar that she’d done it automatically. “Morning, Loki,” she said loudly enough to announce her presence no matter where he was in the suite.

He stepped into the room from his study, dressed in riding clothes as well:attractively tight black pants, a green and gold tunic, and a helmet with horns slightly smaller than his battle armor’s helmet.“Good morning, Lady Fae,” he bid her warmly, giving her a smile when he saw her.

She gave him an appraisingly look, he was always fashionable and handsome and that morning was no exception. She saw him watch her appraisal and she saw his smirk when he realized she appreciated what she saw.She glanced at her own green tunic and smirked up at him.“We match,” she informed him with a giggle. 

His smile remained warm, gentle, loving.“So we do. You look beautiful in my colors,”

“That's kind of you to say,” she replied with a hint of a blush.Loki nodded, noting that she hadn’t thanked him for the compliment. Old habits died hard and at least now he knew why she didn’t thank him.She also knew that the dark forest green does look fantastic on her.She tried to figure out how to question his helmet and finally came up with something. “Your father finally let the ceremonial helmets out of the vault?Does that mean the oaf wears the ridiculous one with wings?” She asked with a grin.

Loki nodded and laughed, a hearty wonderful sound that he usually didn’t relax enough to let anyone here.“He looks ridiculous too so it fits,”

She giggled at that image, remembering the helmet well from her tours of the vault with Odin and the princes. “And I’m sure he struts around with it and his stupid hammer,” she added, teasing.Making fun of Thor was a constant in their lives.

“Though I dislike wearing my helmet on Midgard since it earned me that annoying nickname from Stark,”

“Stupid shellhead,” she commiserated “and his stupid nicknames,” she rolled her eyes.“He already gave me one too, so I completely understand,”

“Have you heard mine yet? It’s so derogatory it makes me want to defenestrate him every time I heard it come out of his mouth”

“He called you a reindeer correct? At least he didn't name you after the most annoying fairy in the history of Midgardian fairy representations…” she groaned.Navi really was the most annoying fairy ever.

“It’s actually Reindeer Games, which is even worse… So very original. And what makes that particular fairy so annoying?” he didn’t pay much attention to anything Midgardian, so he didn’t understand the reference.

“The fae have paid close attention to how fairies are represented in popular media. Navi is an annoying character in a video game, a game played on the television,” she clarified as there weren’t TVs or video games on Asgard.“All she does is follow the protagonist repeatedly saying 'Hey, Listen’,” she grumbled as she explained.She hated that stupid fairy 

“That does sound slightly annoying.”

“It was very annoying,” she whined.As one of the youngest fae, she’d been tasked with playing the game and all such games with fairies.Such a hardship. 

Loki laughed at her expression.He sobered a little when the laughter died down.They had a task to do.“Shall we go meet up with my brother, Lady Sif, and Thor’s moronic friends?” he finally asked with a sigh.

Sig nodded with her own sigh.“We should.Wish we didn't have to travel with the morons, though…” she grumbled. They were annoying as fuck.

“You and me both. My brother and Sif are tolerable but my brother's friends are another story,”

“I'm guessing they're decent warriors for Mama Frigga to send them with us…” she tried to give them _some_ redeeming quality.Though it was hard. She hadn’t liked the morons as a child and she didn’t think that would change now.

Loki offered her an arm to escort her and she took it automatically to walk down to the stables together.“They certainly have their moments.Though I think they are more trouble than they are worth bringing along.”

They reached the stables and Loki headed straight for his horse to say hello.He cooed over the horse, letting his guard down around the animal, relaxing and being so light and caring.It amazed Sig to see Loki so gentle and caring.She hadn’t seen him so open since she met him again.He would never let anyone see him being so openly caring and gentle. 

Not anyone besides Frigga.

And now her.


	21. Chapter 21

All of the horses were saddled by the time the rest of your companions joined you.Sig wasn’t excited to see the moron boys, and tried to hang back shyly so they would leave her alone.Unfortunately, that idea was doomed, since she was interesting and newly returned to Asgard.So they were making a point of bothering her and being loud and obnoxious. 

Sif rescued Sigyn to introduce her to the horse that had been chosen for her. Sig cooed over the sweet little mare, wanting to be the horse’s friend before they headed out.Animals tended to like Sig, so the mare warmed up quickly.Especially when bribed with sugar lumps. 

The group all mounted up and started out of the stable-yard so they could head to the first gate.Thor led the procession from the palace ground with Loki at his side.Of course, the princes would lead this expedition, that was just how things worked on Asgard. Sigyn trailed behind the group, not feeling a part of this group who all knew each other so well. She had known them at one time, had been part of the group centuries ago, but things had changed.Now she watched them all laughing, joking, and jesting sleepily with each other as they rode, feeling outcast and alone.They were used to these sorts of missions for the crown.She was the outsider here and she didn’t know how to handle them anymore.

Loki turned back to her, his eyes looking for his soulmate and best friend when he realized that she wasn’t with him.He gave her a smile and gestured for her to join him and Thor.Sig was the most important part of this mission, after all.Plus, she was Loki’s soulmate.She hesitated a moment, not wanting to intrude, but she took up his invitation and urged her mare to catch up with the princes.“Are you alright, Sigyn? You seem to be lagging behind…” Loki asked softly, sounding concerned.

“I'm not lagging behind,” she replied defensively.A touch _too_ defensively.She was comfortable with him, when it was just the two of them.But she got shy around people easily.Especially the loud obnoxious males. 

Loki nodded and said gently. “This is your mission, darling. You should be the one leading it,”

“You two are princes, that technically gives you the responsibility of leading it,” she replied shyly, looking down at her saddle-horn.Thor and the warriors were so close, their group tight-knit and she felt distinctly like an outsider.

“Will you remain up here with us? I could use your company,” Loki tried a different, and much more effective tactic. Ask the healer for help and she would always jump to do whatever she could to help.

“What am I, chopped liver?” Thor grumbled sourly. He looked over at Loki. “You do not get to spend the entire trip paying attention to no one but your girlfriend,” he informed his brother, joking and teasing, and glad for an adventure with his brother and his friends. 

Sig shied at his comment, turning red.“If it's going to be a problem…” she said softly, willing to give up her place to let the brothers ride together.

Loki glared at Thor.“There is no problem. My brother is just being an imbecile.As per usual,” he reassured Sig quickly.He didn’t want her to go away and be all alone again.

Thor hadn’t quite understood yet how much Sig had changed from the child they knew.Sig nodded shyly and rode between the two princes.“Mother didn't give us many details except that we were to ride to the locations on the map she provided and guard your girlfriend,” Thor told Loki as they rode together.Teasing Loki was a time-honored tradition and Loki now had a brand new, not yet official, girlfriend to be teased about. 

“There are fae doorways located at those positions on the map. We are going to those locations to seal those doorways to prevent future kidnappings closer to the cities. Our job is to guard Sigyn while she completes her task,” Loki explained simply.That was all the explanation he felt Thor needed.

“I'm the only one who can close them,” Sig added softly. “Only powerful fae can open or close the doorways between the realms,”

“What possible dangers are we guarding you from, however?” Loki asked her gently, realizing they didn’t exactly know what they might be getting themselves into. “You never explained that yesterday,”

“Whatever is on the other side of the doorways.They might not take kindly to having their doorways closed and very well could come through to stop me from closing them. It could be anything from trolls, ogres, giants, goblins, and of course fae and high fae,”

Loki nodded, accepting that answer. “Understandable. We will do everything in our power to keep you safe.”

Sig nodded in return. “I appreciate it,” she glanced at Thor, needed to explain further to him. “Under most circumstances, I’m perfectly capable of defending myself, but closing these doorways takes a lot of power and concentration,” she didn’t want him to think she was a helpless little noble lady who needed defending.She prided herself on her strength.It would do well for Loki not to forget that either.She doubted either of them really would, though.They’d both seen her fight. Thor nodded, accepting her addition.

They all chatted while they rode and Sig slowly opened up to the others.It was just after noon when they neared the first doorway.They all dismounted once they reached it and picketed the horses. “Whenever you’re ready, Sigyn,” Loki told her gently when they were in position.

Sig nodded and summoned her blade as she approached the doorway.Loki stayed close to her side as she did.The others stood guard nearby, but out of the way.Sig could tell they couldn’t see the portal, but they could sense the disturbance in the realm.She dragged her blade across her palm and grabbed the edges of the doorway to pull them closed.It was harder than the last one and was taking a lot more power.Underhill did not want to be closed away, but eventually, the doorway snapped shut and even the morons could feel the difference.

It drained a ton of power to do it, especially so soon after already closing one just yesterday, but she managed. 

This was definitely going to be a difficult quest. 

Sig swayed, placing her non-bleeding hand on Loki next to her to steady herself while black spots invaded her vision and the world spun dangerously for a moment.Loki looked down at her concerned.“What’s wrong, darling?” he asked her gently while he healed her bleeding hand and made sure she was steady.

“It didn’t want to close. Underhill doesn’t like being messed with,” she explained softly while she focused on remaining upright and conscious.“I’m sure she’s warning the fae what we’re up to now…” she mumbled unhelpfully.She was drained beyond reason and her mind was wandering and unfocused.

“She? Who is she?” Loki asked, trying to make her focus on telling him what dangers they might be facing.

“Underhill-“ she repeated as if that was helpful.

It was.They just didn’t understand.


	22. Chapter 22

“Who, or what, is Underhill, Sig?” Loki asked her, trying to get more information on the threat they were facing.

Sig frowned up at him, she was clearly dazed and unsteady on her feet.“The whole realm is made of magic and... sentient for lack of a better word,” she explained. “She sometimes takes a human form, but she keeps her power when she does,”

Loki was intrigued by that, but didn’t ask any more question right then.Sig needed to rest and he knew it.“Sigyn, you need to rest before we deal with the next doorway. You’re in no condition to close anymore.That took a lot more power than the last one,”

Sig nodded, still unsteady on her feet.The warrior boys were talking happily amongst themselves about the easy mission. “Brother, I’m sure there is somewhere in the village that won’t mind feeding our party,” Thor suggested.Their group was right outside the village and it would give Sig a chance to rest.

Loki nodded. “That might be best. We all need to eat and Sigyn needs some time to recover,”

“Sorry, wasn’t expecting her to catch on so fast,” she told Loki and stood from where she’d been leaning on him.

Loki nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t fret darling, come on, let’s get you some food. It might help,”

She nodded and gave him an appreciative smile as she headed back to the horses with the warriors, Sif, and Thor. She mounted again with Loki’s help.He didn’t trust her to do it safely on her own.The group headed into the village at a leisurely pace and everyone caught Loki keeping a close eye on Sig in case something happened.She was droopy and exhausted, but not so much that she couldn’t manage to keep her seat on her horse.Thor led the way straight to an eating-house that he and the warriors had frequented before.

As soon as they stopped, Loki dismounted and was instantly at Sig’s side to hand her down from the saddle.He let her lean on him as he led her into the eating house.She gave him a warm smile and seemed to recover once she was sitting and had food in her.Loki looked relieved as she enjoyed her leisurely lunch.The mood was jovial as the morons thought this was an easy mission for the throne.

“How are you feeling, darling?” Loki asked her softly enough that the others wouldn’t hear.He was still concerned.She’d been awfully disoriented and more drained than expected after the last doorway.

“As well as can be expected,” she replied, knowing it didn’t really answer the question, but was truthful.“We can get the second doorway before nightfall,” she told him, changing the subject some.

His eyebrows furrowed in concern and displeasure. “Are she sure that’s wise?”

“It’s wise to get as many of the doorways closed as we can before she tells the fae what we’re up to and they go to lengths to stop us,” she replied, still truthful and still not answering his question.She was extremely well practiced at this game.The fae didn’t lie.

“Darling, stop skirting around my questions. This is not healthy for you. Blood magic is extremely dangerous.Tell me honestly, do you think it is wise for you to close another gate today?”

Sig sighed. “Probably not,” she admitted softly, hating that she was cornered into a direct answer.“But we can at least get to that town and close the gate first thing in the morning…” she suggested instead.

Loki nodded, looking relieved that she was being reasonable.“I would prefer that. It will give you a chance to recharge,”

“The longer the fae have to prepare to rally against us, the harder closing the remaining gates is going to be,” she warned him again.She wanted to make sure he knew that point well.

Loki sighed. “I do not wish for it to be harder for you to close the gates, but I’d rather you be strong enough to close them and not cause serious injury to yourself.You can die of blood magic, darling.There are plenty of reasons Mother does not allow it to be taught or practiced on Asgard,”

“I know. We never claimed this was going to be an easy task,” she reminded him softly.She would be careful, but she had a duty to do too.

“I know. I just hate seeing you so weak. It’s disconcerting,”

“Blood magic is hard,” she reminded him. She knew he knew that already, but he seemed in need of the reminder. 

“I know. Mother warned me of the dangers of its use,”

“And told him never to use it and she’d skin his hide and bind his powers for a decade if she caught him at it,” Thor added unhelpfully, which made Sig giggle at the threat to poor child Loki.

“Thank you for that reminder, brother,” Loki replied with sarcasm and venom in his voice as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“My point,” Thor went on, ignoring Loki’s sarcasm and venom.“Is why is she allowing Lady Sigyn to do it when she does not allow you?”

“There is no other way to close the gates. Mother is aware of what she has to do. In order to protect the children, she made an exception.”

“That and only my blood will work, so there’s no chance that I’d be tempted to do the unethical thing and use someone else’s,” Sig added to reassure them all.They didn’t know her anymore.She wasn’t the child they remembered, so of course they didn’t know that she could be trusted not to abuse blood magic.They should have known that, but she didn’t blame them if they wouldn’t believe in her any longer.

Loki nodded in agreement. “Satisfied, brother?”

Thor nodded.Before the warriors could order more ale, they headed back out to the horses to travel to the town by the next gate. Sig summoned a book to read as she rode.She was tired of attempting to be social, so she read one of the books Frigga had given her on the soulbonds.Loki did the same, bored of the ride and curious about the soulbonds too.

They made it to the next town by dinner and Thor let them directly to the inn to see about rooms for the night.They all dismounted and let the hostlers take the horses. Sig looked over at Loki “Are you going to spend the night as Lady Loki so you don’t have to share a room with the oaf or the morons?” she teased him.Loki had used that trick before to room with her and Sif on expeditions as children instead of with the boys.

Loki chuckled and shifted forms in a shimmer of magic.Lady Loki was just as attractive as her male form and Sig appreciated the view.Loki wanted absolutely nothing to do with the idea of rooming with the boys.

“Sister,” Thor said the simple word as greeting, but more as a display of acceptance of Loki’s change in form. Sif nodded, used to Loki’s antics. They’d shared rooms on missions before like this so she was used to it. The warrior boys knew better than to comment.

Sig wrapped an arm around Loki’s waist, ducking under Loki’s arm, forcing it around her shoulders as they walked into the inn.It was a comfortable familiarity and Loki was surprised at how natural it felt. Loki smiled brightly at how accepting Sig was of her gender fluidity.

Sigyn had a quick dinner with the group and stood as soon as she’d finished eating to head to bed. She was exhausted and didn’t feel like attempting to socialize when the next day was going to be difficult.Loki stood with her.“Would you like some company, darling?”

“I wouldn’t mind, but I’m going to be boring. I really am just going to sleep,” she told Loki, but wrapped her arms back around Loki’s waist.She didn’t tell her with actual words, but she was pleased that Loki was coming with her.

“That’s fine. I could use some rest myself,” Loki wrapped her arm around Sig’s shoulders, cuddling her to her side contentedly.

The pair walked to their rooms and found that the group had a suite with a common room and two bedrooms.She and Loki went into one of them and looked at the sleeping arrangements.That was going to be troublesome. “There’s only two beds and Sif doesn’t share,” she reminded Loki, remembering that Sif in fact did not share her sleeping space. Ever.

Loki pondered that and then asked with a hint of hesitation at being rejected.“Would you be up to sharing with me? Like old times?” she asked softly.They had as children, since Sif really didn’t share, ever since she was small.

Sig considered for a moment before she nodded.“That’s fine,” she replied warmly as she summoned pajamas and climbed into bed.She picked the bed, and the side of the bed furthest from the door.She remembered the overprotective nature of Loki.Loki would insist on being closest to the danger, or perceived danger.She saw the look in Loki’s eyes that she appreciated Sig considering her feelings.Loki’s clothes shimmered to sleepwear as well and she climbed into the bed after Sig.

Sig gave her a warm smile and cuddled among the blankets.“Goodnight Lokes,” she told her warmly and closed her eyes to get some sleep.“Yes, you can read. It won’t bother me,” she added automatically.She knew Loki too well.

Loki giggled and summoned a book to do just that, sitting against the pillows propped against the headboard. “Goodnight, Sig,”

She smiled at the nickname and settled quickly into sleep.She really was exhausted.Somehow she ended up cuddling Lady Loki while she slept.She didn’t know how it happened and Loki didn’t complain.Loki thought it was adorable.It ended up even more adorable when Loki dozed off too and they were both wrapped in each other’s arms. 

Sif eventually came into the room much later and after way more alcohol.She was careful not to wake the pair, but she did make a quiet sarcastic comment about how adorable the pair was. “Lovebirds,” she added with a fond sort of sarcasm as she slipped into her own bed.


	23. Chapter 23

The group all woke early the next morning to get to the gate as soon a possible.Sigyn blushed when she realized she was cuddled with Loki, still wrapped in Loki’s arms.Loki gave her a bright, happy smile.There was a smile on her face that Sigyn never wanted her to lose. “Good morning, darling.”

Sigyn returned Loki’s smile a little shyly from her position curled in Loki’s arms.“Good morning, princess,” she replied softly.Loki’s smile widened even more, if that was possible.She apparently loved being called princess by Sig.Sig would have to keep that in mind.

“We should get going. You have a doorway to close as long as you’re feeling up to it?” Loki added the last hesitantly.She didn’t want Sig overexerting herself. Sigyn couldn’t help smiling, touched at how much Loki cared.

“We should,” she agreed and disentangled herself form Loki’s arms to stand and get dressed. She used magic to dress and looked much better after proper rest, which made Loki relax.Loki stood and dressed with magic as well.She was apparently deciding to stay female for awhile.Sigyn didn’t mind one way or the other.Loki was Loki no matter her form.

After a quick breakfast the group headed out of the town to find the gate.It was a short ride through the woods to where it was.Thor led the way based on the map, but once they got close, Sigyn took the lead.She could feel the doorway by its magic. As she drew near, something sparked her senses.Sig had her magic, her senses, cast out around she to try to spot danger before it reached them.She stood in her stirrups, sensing something.

“Sig?What’s wrong?” Loki asked, noting her odd behavior as she cast around, trying to figure out what she was sensing.

“We’re expected,” she told Loki as she finally figured out what she’d been feeling.“There’s a whole group of creatures at the gate to defend it. At least one giant and troll,” she told him.The rest of the group had too similar of magical signatures for her to be able to tell exactly how many of them there were, or what the group would be facing. 

Loki nodded and turned in her saddle to look to the others.“Be ready. We have a battle on our hands.” The group agreed easily and loosened their weapons in their sheaths, readying themselves for the battle ahead. Sig couldn’t help in this battle and she knew it.she needed to keep her strength and magic to close the doorway.Much as it pained her, she needed to stay out of the fight.

“Stay back, darling. Let us handle this,” Loki told Sig gently.Loki knew how hard it was for her to stay behind while her friends were in danger.

“I know,” she told her softly.She knew that’s why the group was there.The warriors were there to defeat any obstacles from keeping her from closing the doorways.“I know that’s why they’re all here, it still feels like I should help,” she added just as softly.

Loki nodded. “I understand. But we are here to keep you safe. You’re the only one who can close the doorways,” she reminded Sig.Sig nodded and the group reached the break in the trees. They could see the group of thirty-odd creatures prepared to defend the gate as they approached.They all dismounted at the tree-line, where they could see the battle, but were safely away from it.“Stay here, Sig. I’ll come get you when the battle is over,” Loki told her firmly.She didn’t like leaving Sig alone about as much as Sig hated staying behind. They bothknew it was the best plan.

“Be careful!” she told Loki nervously.

Loki gave her a reassuring smile.“I’ll be fine, Sig. I’ll see you soon,”

Sig waited nervously from her safe spot with the horses while the others went to battle.The battle was glorious, according to the moron boys. Sig was just watching in horror as her friends fought and were injured too. She had to watch them take small injuries and she prayed that they wouldn’t be truly injured. She had to admit that they were skilled warriors, even if she was worried for them the entire time. 

It took a while, but they did finally all return to her, all alive.Loki was uninjured, so was Thor.Sif only had a small wound.Fandral was bleeding from a nasty-looking head-wound, and the other morons were bandaging wounds as well, but they were all relatively alright. 

Loki nodded to Sig. “Whenever you’re ready, darling,”

Sig hugged Loki around the neck instead.“You’re ok!” she told Loki, obviously she’d been worried over Loki’s safety.Thor chuckled when Loki stiffened at her hug.Loki hadn’t expected to be hugged so enthusiastically. 

Loki was surprised, but her arms immediately wrapped around Sig.“I told you I would be alright, darling,” she told her gently.

Sig let Loki go slowly.“I still worry, especially when you go off to battle without me,” she told her softly. Sig blushed a little at such sentiment, especially as she fought the urge to kiss Loki’s cheek.She turned to go to the doorway to seal it.Loki remained by her side as she did. Loki wasn’t taking chances with Sig’s safety.

Sig sliced her hand and drew the power to close the doorway.It was harder than any of the previous ones.It was draining and she felt like the power was tearing her apart as she finally got the doorway closed. 

She sagged visibly when it was closed, drained and exhausted beyond belief.Loki steadied her and healed the cut on her hand quickly.Loki wrapped an arm around her shoulders, seeing that she was too incoherent with exhaustion to make any decisions on her own, or be trusted to walk anywhere on her own.Loki helped herback to the horses and Sig let her steer her, wrapping her arms around Loki’s waist and laying her head on her chest as they walked, leaning heavily on her. “Let’s find something to eat. You need to get your energy back before the next gate,” Loki told her gently and she nodded, agreeing with that plan.

The warrior boys flittered around them both, clearly concerned.They highly disliked seeing noble ladies in distress.Their instincts and training were to immediately help.To sweep her off to a nice safe bed, to do something.Loki glared at them to back off.She had it handled.She handed Sig up into her horse’s saddle and Sig held onto the saddle horn to keep her seat.The rest mounted quickly and Thor led the way back to the town so they could all find somewhere to rest and recover before they moved onto the next doorway.


	24. Chapter 24

“How are you feeling, Sig?” Loki asked as they rode side by side.Sig figured the question was equal parts checking on her and equal parts making sure she stayed awake enough to stay in the saddle. 

Sig gave Loki a tiny smile meant to reassure her, but didn’t think she was successful in that endeavor.“Tired, but I’ll be alright,” she replied. Maybe some words would help reassure Loki.

“Hopefully when you get some food in you, you’ll feel a bit better,”

She nodded her agreement and they continued to ride.Thor finally found an eating house that was acceptable to everyone and they all dismounted and headed inside. They all headed to the tavern part of the inn and sat and ordered food and drink.The warrior boys loudly cheered about the glorious battle, even though they were injured.

Morons. 

Sig picked at the meal, but she ate, knowing she’d need the energy to close the next gate that day.Loki watched her carefully, clearly concerned, but she stayed coherent enough to assure Loki that she was strong enough to keep traveling. When they finished eating, the group returned to the horses to head to the next doorway.The group decided they were going to stop halfway there to rest for lunch as it was farther away than the others had been. None of them trusted Sig to travel that far, not with how draining closing the portals was on her.She tried to hide how drained she was, but she was clearly exhausted, staring listlessly and unfocused as she rode. 

Sif rode up to Loki’s other side.“I don't understand the difference,” she told Loki softly so as to not disturb the listless, half-dozing, Sig.“You mages aren't usually so drained by your magic and Sigyn has always been a strong sorceress. Why is this magic so draining on her?” Sif was curious and not asking maliciously.She really just wanted to know why this was different.

“Blood magic is not the same as the magic you see me or my mother use. It's a more physical form. It takes an individual/s energy from the blood they spill to cast their spell. It drains them physically and mentally and can be extremely dangerous. That's why every time Sig closes a gate, she looks and feels drained. It's because she actually is. The magic I use takes a lot more raw power before I would become drained like that,” he gestured to Sig.Sif nodded her agreement, accepting Loki’s explanation.There was a reason blood magic wasn’t allowed to be practiced on Asgard.She still looked understandably worried about Sigyn, and more urgently, her ability to stay on her horse. 

Sig managed to stay ahorse and awake until they found a village to have lunch in about halfway to the next gate.“We should rest here. We can continue onto the next gate after Sig gets some rest,” Loki told the others, getting more and more concerned about Sig as they had been riding.

“There's a tavern, they should have lunch and Sig can rest there,” Thor agreed and the group started to dismount in front of said tavern.

Loki helped Sig down from the saddle. “Do she wish to eat now or rest first, Sig?” she asked her gently.

“Eat first,” she replied, ducking under Loki’s arm to wrap her arms around her waist. She trusted Loki to steer her where she needed to be while she closed her eyes for a moment and leaned her weight on her.Loki led her straight to an empty table and coaxed her into sitting down.She’d noticed how unsteady she was on her feet from closing the last doorway.It had been a miracle that she’d remained in the saddle.Sig ate what was placed in front of her without paying attention to what it actually was and laid her head on Loki’s shoulder as soon as the food was gone.Loki stood once she had finished eating and dragged Sig to her feet.She helped her to a room in the inn so Sig could get some desperately needed rest. 

“Do you wish for me to stay?” Loki asked after she’d gotten Sig tucked into bed.

“Only if you want to,” she murmured, mostly asleep the second she was lying down. 

“I’ll stay with you if you’re ok with that,” Loki would rather not leave her so defenseless.Sig nodded her agreement and moved over on the bed to make sure there was room for Loki to sit with her if she was so inclined. Sig closed her eyes again the second she was in position.Loki settled on the bed next to her and summoned a book to read to pass the time. Sig wrapped her arms around Loki’s waist like she was her favorite plushie and used Loki’s lap as a pillow, purring softly as she got some much needed rest. Safe with her Loki. Loki smiled warmly and ran her fingers through Sig’s hair while she napped.She thought Sig was adorable and loved having her safe in her arms. 

Sig napped for a couple of hours before she stirred and sat up again, blushing a deep red at having used Loki as a pillow.Again. Loki was going to get annoyed if she kept getting used as a pillow.Loki didn't like being touched.She didn’t quite understand yet that was the exception to that rule. It had only been a few days after all.

“How are you feeling, darling?” Loki asked her gently. 

“Better,” she replied and gave Loki a real smile, looking much more alert and awake. 

Loki’s smile grew even brighter and warmed Sig’s heart to see her Loki so happy.“Wonderful. Though we should be heading out before night falls,”

“We should have time for me to get the third doorway before dark,” she agreed and moved to get out of the bed.Loki nodded as well and they headed out to the tavern area where the morons were drinking.Thankfully, they were only drinking ale, so it hadn’t affected them much.They’d be fine by the time they made it to the next gate.

It didn’t take long to get everyone back on the road and Sig rode next to Loki chatting with her as they rode.“Was the battle awful at the last gate?”

Loki shook her head.“Not really. At least, not for me. The others had a much harder time,” she teased the warrior morons.

“Of course they did,” Sig agreed with a smirk.“You’re a much better fighter,” she told Loki warmly.

“He took all the easy ones!” Fandral protested, which just made Sig giggle. Annoying Fandral was a fond pastime from days long past. Even if Fandral was being dumb and misgendering Loki.Fandral was also a moron.

“No. You just aren’t as great of a fighter as me,” Loki replied easily.Taunting Fandral was fun.

Sig giggled even harder at their argument as Fandral spluttered that he was a great warrior.They all chatted for awhile and Sig eventually went back to reading her books.“So what do you think, Lady Sigyn?” Fandral asked her awhile later about…something… she hadn’t been paying attention while she was reading. 

Sig looked up from her book and saw that he was arguing with Loki over whatever it was.“I wasn't paying attention,” she admitted, “but whatever it was, I side with Loki,” she replied with a smirk. Loki smirked over at Fandral triumphantly.

“You can't take Loki's side without even listening to the argument!” Fandral protested while Sig turned her gaze back to her book.

She flipped a page in the book as Fandral started to try to explain it again. She held up a hand to stop his explanation. “I can.I'm going to side with Loki regardless, so safe your breath,”

Loki’s smirk only grew.“Thank you, darling,” she replied warmly.

Fandral spluttered indignantly at the pair, especially at Sig, the noble lady who wasn’t charmed by him.Sig smiled warmly at Loki. “Of course, Lokes,” she said brightly before she returned to her book properly. 

All too soon, the group was making their approach to the third gate.


	25. Chapter 25

Sigyn vanished her book as they got closer to the gate.She could sense the fae better than any of the others and she was on alert for danger. “Will we be facing any resistance, darling?” Loki asked when she noted Sig’s concerned expression as she focused on their surroundings.

“Yes, but not how you mean,” she told Loki, her eyes unfocused as she focused instead on what she was feeling.“You’re going to argue, but I have to deal with this one.She would kill you all on sight otherwise,” she told Loki firmly.Her tone left no room for negotiating.

“Darling? What are you talking about?”

The group was close enough by then that they could see the gate and the lone figure standing in front of it.A fae child, or so she appeared. “She's who I'm talking about,” Sig replied, pointing to the girl.

“And she _is_?” Loki asked impatiently.Sig wasn’t being particularly clear or helpful and Loki wasn’t fond of unknown danger. 

Sig rolled her eyes and huffed just as impatiently.“She’s the realm I'm sealing away,” she told Loki too patiently.“I did mention that she's sentient.That is her. To name her is to give her power,” she reminded her that there was power in the name of things. Especially when said in front of one of the fae.

Loki nodded her understanding once Sig had spelled it out for her.“Are you sure I cannot help?” she asked.She didn’t want to leave Sig in danger, though she accepted that Sig knew the fae better than she did.

Sig considered that, considered her options. “You can come.They cannot.The soulbond should protect you, but there are two conditions,” she told Loki firmly.There could be no deviating from her conditions and she would leave Loki behind if Loki couldn’t agree to her terms.

Loki nodded while the others looked like they wanted to protest.They were supposed to protect her, not let her go into danger alone. “What do you require of me?”

“Don't speak to her unless she asks you a direct question.If she does. Do not lie,” she told Loki firmly.Loki was the goddess of lies and sometimes her default was to lie or fib.She couldn’t do either in front of Underhill.Sig hesitated before she added.“I won't stop you from coming with me, but the other condition is that you cannot go before her with any kind of illusions.Any.She'll see through them and take it as an insult.I can face her alone and I won't ask that of you,” she added the last gently.She wouldn’t ask Loki to strip her last illusion. 

She couldn’t do that to her.

Loki shifted back to his male form.“No illusions. I may be the god of lies, but I know how to tell the truth, Sigyn,” he told her firmly.

It broke her heart what she had to do to get her point across. He hadn’t understood.

“No, Loki.No illusions, not even this one,” she told him gently.She knew what it would cost him to strip the last illusion.“I told you that I won't ask it of you.You can guard from here with the others.I won't ask you to strip the last illusion in front of them,” she indicated the others, reminded Loki that they were there.They would see, if he went through with this. They would see his true form.

Loki sighed heavily once he understood what she meant.“Is this the only way I can come with you?” he finally asked.“I do not wish for you to face her alone,”

Sig nodded firmly. “It's the only way.She takes great insult at any who come before her under illusion.And she is the one who enforces the rule that the fae cannot lie,” she explained.Then she added. “She likes me, I'll be perfectly safe.You don't have to come the rest of the way.” Sig wouldn’t ask him to strip his last illusion in front of the others. She knew how he felt about the Asgardians seeing what he actually was.

He sighed again and hesitated, but dropped the last illusion, appearing in his Jotun form with his beautiful sapphire skin and scarlet eyes.He looked sheepish and afraid to be seen like that, but Sig just gave him a warm smile.He was her Loki no matter his form.“We do this together. We’re soul bound. You don’t have to do anything on her own anymore,” he told her firmly, determined to see this through with her.

There were gasps of shock from the morons.Sif and Thor were more polite about their curiosity. They'd all been told Loki was a Jotun, but none of them had seen his true form until now.Sig stood on her toes to kiss his cheek and he blushed purple. “Thank you,” she told him, though the words were hard for her to say.She saw his nerves and anxiety at the reaction of the morons, but he was more shocked by her kissing his cheek.She concentrated a moment and her own illusions faded.There were more gasps from the morons as they saw the scars all over her body from duels in the seelie court.She hadn’t told anyone about them. 

Loki would grill she about them later.For now, Sig took his hand and the pair walked down to where Underhill was waiting for them. Sig dropped Loki’s hand a few steps in front of the girl and took another step forward alone, leaving herself as the focus of conversation in order to protect Loki.Sig dropped to one knee to be on the girl’s level while Underhill looked over Sig and Loki with ancient eyes that didn’t fit the form she wore.“Hello Tilly,” Sig greeted her gently.

“Siggy!!” she replied happily and Sig prayed to any god who would listen that Loki wouldn’t pick up that particular nickname.Underhill looked at Loki.“Who's he?” she demanded suspiciously.She didn’t like strangers. 

“He's my soulmate,” Sig replied carefully, answering her question without naming Loki.She also carefully spoke the truth to Underhill. It was a very delicate balance. “and my other best friend, besides you of course.” Loki wisely remained silent while Sig spoke with the child-shaped realm.He was immensely curious, but he wouldn’t put Sig or himself in danger.

Underhill nodded, accepting the answer. “The Seelie Queen said you’re trying to seal me away.She knows better than to lie to me,” she accused Sigyn sounding hurt and angry. 

Sig smiled kindly.She could deal with Underhill if the person-shaped realm continued being reasonable.“Seal away my friend?Not at all.The queen must be confused.I'm only closing a few gates that are in inconvenient places.You don't want more sad children like I was, right?The Gray Lords like taking children like me, and these gates are too close to places with lots of children.I want them safe,” Sig explained to her.She was careful to tell her the absolute truth, just twisted in her favor. The fae were good at such truths and Sig was no exception.Loki was quite proud of her for it.

Underhill thought about that for a terrifyingly long time.“Stealing children is bad,” she finally agreed and Sig nearly breathed a sigh of relief.“You’ll come visit me again?” she asked softly.

Shit.

Sig had to agree.There were no other options.She also had to be careful about it.“I will in the future. When it is safe,” she replied, making the promise since she had no other choice. 

Underhill hugged her.“Then you can close the doors,” she looked at Loki and Sig could see that she was looking not at him, but into his very soul.She was a realm of magic and could do such things.“I like him,” she finally said and Sig breathed another sigh of relief.It wouldn’t be good if Underhill didn’t like Loki, or decided he needed to die.Neither of them couldn’t take on an entire realm and hope to win.“He can take care of you for me,” she added before she bounced back through the doorway to her realm.

Sig sighed heavily in relief. Loki brought back his Asgardian illusion once she was gone.“Are you alright, darling?” he asked, knowing how difficult that conversation had been for her.

She nodded and stood again.It was emotionally draining to keep up that conversation with Underhill, to be so careful not to offend her.“One must tread carefully around her.It's a good thing she likes me and was being reasonable today,” she told Loki. 

He nodded and Sig got to work on closing the doorway.Loki stayed at her side, wary of Underhill and not trusting that she would keep her word.That doorway was even harder to close than the others.Underhill said she could close it, but she wasn’t making it easy on her.Sig managed, but the color seemed to drain from her when the doorway was closed.Her hair had lost its vibrancy, her eyes dulled.She swayed, fighting to keep her feet under her. Loki’s arms were around her in an instant, holding her on her feet.She held onto him, exhausted, letting her head rest on his chest for a moment.“Tilly didn't have to make it so hard…” she grumbled softly.

“She said she could close the doorway. Why did she make it so hard?”

“Because she can? Because that’s how the fae are and she rules all of them? Because she still doesn’t like that I’m closing them?” she whined too exhausted for existential questioning.She couldn’t answer why a realm did whatever the fuck it wanted, even pretending to look like a child.

Loki sighed.“Come on, darling. Let’s get back to the palace,”

“No!” she protested, looking up at him horrified.“There’s still two more gates, we can’t go back yet!!” she continued protesting, distressed by the suggestion that she was failing and needed to go back home.

“Darling, you can barely stand on her own,” he told her gently.

“I’ll sleep it off and we can close the last two tomorrow,” she insisted.She didn’t want to fail Mama Frigga and she didn’t want the Asgardian children in danger.

“One gate at a time, darling. Two nearly has you passing out,” Loki insisted, horrified by her condition and terrified for her.

“There’s only two left. I’ll be fine,” she tried to reassure him. “Then we can go back to the palace,”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

“I want this done,” she told him softly and stood on her own again.“Once it’s done then we can go home to a hot bath and comfortable beds,” she added wistfully.

Loki sighed, but gave in, knowing it was no use arguing against duty.“Alright. But let’s head to an inn so you can eat and rest.”It was the best he was going to.


	26. Chapter 26

Sigyn took Loki’s arm and let him walk her back to the horses and their friends.“Did you defeat the vicious little girl child?” Fandral teased you and Loki.He was the most moronic of the morons and was showing it at that moment.

Sig glared at Fandral. “That was an entire realm personified as a child. She could have killed us all where we stand and not broken a sweat,” she informed him with a snarl.She was grumpy when she was this exhausted.No one really blamed her for that.

Loki was also glaring at Fandral. “Magical beings are more powerful than anything else. You would do well to remember that,” he told Fandral coldly.Fandral was a moron and needed to be reminded that he wasn’t more powerful than Loki.Loki was usually in the shadows and didn’t flaunt his abilities too often. 

Apparently, it was just often enough that Fandral wisely shut up at the reminder and your group was able to head to the inn in the nearby town.

Loki got Sig settled at a table with food in front of her and stayed by her side. He was worried about how exhausted she was with good reason.She had nearly passed out and her colors were so muted.He didn’t know what could actually cause her hair and eyes to be less vibrant, but he knew it wasn’t good. “You really should get some rest, darling. That last gate took a lot out of you,” Loki told her the second her plate was empty. He wanted to get her safely tucked into bed and resting. 

She nodded, noting how worried everyone was, and got to her feet to head to her room.She had her own, but she’d already told Loki he was welcome to share with her, no matter what form he was in. Loki took her up on the offer.He was concerned over her and not willing to let her be alone when she was so drained.“I told you this wasn’t going to be easy. You know why Mama Frigga won’t let you learn blood magic…” she reminded him as they headed upstairs, her arms were around Loki’s waist as they walked.

“I know, but I worry about the toll it is taking on you. I know the dangers of blood magic, but seeing it first-hand helps me better understand Mother’s warnings,”

“Please don’t think I’m weak because of this,” she told him softly. “I don’t want you to think I’m one of the helpless feather-brained noble ladies you despise…” it was one of her concerns if Loki kept seeing her weak like this. 

Loki stopped in his tracks and turned to her, cupping her face in his hands to make her look up at him. “I would never think you weak, darling.I know how difficult blood magic is.I know how hard this is for you and I see you persevering despite how difficult it is for you.In fact, after all this, I consider you one of the strongest people I know. Do you understand?” he demanded firmly, giving her no room for objections.

Sigyn gave him a warm, exhausted smile.“Understood, my prince,” she told him with a hint of teasing in her voice. 

He smirked in reply, glad she was still up for sarcasm and sass.“Good,” he replied warmly and wrapped his arm back around her shoulders to steer her to her room. She headed straight to the bed to crash, though made sure there was plenty of room for him in the bed too before she passed out.She knew he wasn’t going to leave her alone.

Loki read for awhile while she rested.Eventually, he decided to get some sleep himself and curled in the bed with her wrapping her safely in his arms. Her sleeping expression turned to a warm smile, though she didn’t stir.She was exhausted and too drained to wake.It was extremely powerful dangerous magic she was using and the doorways were immensely powerful as well.

Sig woke right after dawn and smiled at Loki, who was reading in the bed next to her.Her color had returned and she looked better at least.“Good morning, prince,” she greeted him warmly.She found that waking in his arms was a pleasant way to start her day.

He easily returned the smile.“Good morning, darling. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she told him.Her smile was still a little tired, but that could easily be due to the early hour.

Loki wasn’t quite sure whether to believe her, but finally nodded, accepting her word.“Alright. Should we head out to the next door?”

She nodded and climbed out of the bed, riding clothes shimmering into place as she did. “So how long before you grill me on every detail of my conversation with Tilly?” she asked him lightly as she collected her things. 

Loki smirked. “Well… since you brought it up…” he teased, goading her into answers.

She giggled in reply. “Ask and you shall receive,” she told him warmly. 

Their group met up in front of the stables and mounted up quickly to set off towards the next doorway.Loki turned to Sig once they were settled on their horses.“So, what did you and a magical realm talk about?” he teased.

Sig rolled her eyes. “You were there for the entire conversation, princeling,” she teased him right back, much as she’d done with him as a child.

He chuckled.“The fact that a magical realm likes me was certainly shocking to hear,”

She laughed. “Well Tilly likes me so I’m not surprised she likes you too,” she replied warmly.

“A magical realm was speaking to you and likes you ?” Fandral asked stupidly, eavesdropping on her conversation.“Someone likes you?” he added even more stupidly in Loki’s direction.

Loki ignored the moron and kept his attention on Sigyn.“Are you actually friends with her, darling?”

Sig nodded.“I didn’t know what she was when I first met her, but she was so glad for someone to talk to and be nice to her. She’s the reason I survived when most of the other changelings didn’t,”

“Then I’m grateful to her for keeping you safe,”

“She did keep me safe and helped me learn to control the fae magic. And she made the queen and gray lords be... not nice... but bearable. Or at least let me hide with her when they weren’t,” she added with a shrug when he looked horrified at how she was treated. 

When he finally got his emotions under control again he spoke. “I’m glad she made your life there a bit more bearable,”

“Me too,” she agreed. “The gray lords didn’t much like a mongrel in their court, especially one as powerful as I am. At least not until I came of age, then I was suddenly useful,”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about them. You’re home now,” Loki reminded her.He was so relieved that she was home.So was she.Asgard was her home and she was beyond grateful to be back there, back among her people, back with the princes she grew up with. 

“The gray lords are powerful, Lokes. I doubt they’re going to just let me go without a fight…” she reminded him, though she was hesitant to say more about fae politics.

“Meaning what, exactly?” he demanded with a scowl.If any of them even dared to mess with her, they would have to deal with him first.Loki’s overprotective nature was as legendary as his temper.

She sighed and committed herself to the explanation.“The gray lords are the most powerful of the fae,” she explained.“Besides the queens of the two courts. Their will is law and they dislike being defied. The soulbond will protect me from having to marry one of the fae, but that doesn’t mean the other gray lords won’t want me returned to the court,” she looked away with a blush when her tongue slipped.And she hoped Loki hadn’t caught the wording.

“Other gray lords?” he asked and Sig cursed to herself.

She sighed heavily. “Of course you caught that…” she grumbled at him.“Too observant for her own good…” maybe if she teased him enough he wouldn’t press her for answers.

“Don’t avoid the subject, Sigyn. Tell me, please. Let me help,” he pleaded.He wanted so desperately to be able to help her, protect her.

She sighed and stared at the pommel of her saddle instead of looking at him. Her voice was soft, shy, nervous, when she spoke again:

“I’m one of the gray lords,”


	27. Chapter 27

Loki pulled his horse to a stop and Sigyn was forced to follow suit.The two of them were at the back of the group, so it took Thor and his idiot friends a few paces to realize they’d stopped.They slowed their horses, to wait for Sig and Loki to catch up.Somehow the morons seemed to realize that they were in the middle of an important conversation and didn’t come interrupt or eavesdrop. Which was frankly amazing.

Loki had a serious look on his face when he turned to Sig.“Explain,” he ordered her firmly, his voice nearly icy.He softened a little when he added “Please.”He did _try_ to remember that he was talking with his soulmate.

Sig didn’t quickly know what explanation he was asking for, but she started talking anyway.She didn’t want to upset him, and he really did deserve the truth.“I told you the Gray Lords are the most powerful of the fae. I have the magical power and physical fighting ability to qualify. I was ‘awarded’ the title when I came of age…” she was leaving a lot out, but that was the bare bones of it.Loki reevaluated the scars she hadn’t been coherent enough to hide back behind her illusions after closing the doorway.She wondered what he was looking at and blushed when she saw her arms and realized her scars were visible.She quickly threw her illusions back into place.She looked exactly the same, but minus the old battle scars from her fighting for her life for her entire life.

Loki didn’t comment, though she knew he’d question her about the scars later.Instead he asked:“So you technically have a noble standing among the fae?” he was trying to get his head around what a Gray Lord was.

She nodded her agreement. “I do. I was the first new Gray Lord in at least 500 years,” she added as if that mattered.

Loki looked impressed anyway, though he didn’t really understand.He considered more implications of Sig being among the Gray Lords.“Will they try and bring you back to Underhill?” he asked.That was the biggest concern at the moment. 

Sig considered, then nodded again.“It looks really bad on the court that one of the Gray Lords abandoned Underhill in preference of the mortal realms…” she explained.It really did look bad on them that she’d left.They’d been searching for her since she had, which is why she’d had to hide on Midgard.The court also wanted her powers and skills for themselves.They weren’t going to let her stay free easily.

“When, in reality, they know you aren’t truly fae? That you were born an Asgardian goddess?”

“I don’t think they realized that I’m an Asgardian goddess. They don’t know much about Asgard. And probably assumed only the royal family receives godhead,” she explained with a shrug.She hadn’t known until Odin had announced hers that she was a goddess.She owed Loki another explanation, though. “Also the Gray Lords are higher ranked than simple nobility,” she told him.“We’re the princes and princesses of the fae, at least in terms as you would understand them,”

Loki nodded, accepting her explanation.“Is there anything else I should know?”

“Probably a lot of things, but none urgent,” she replied with a smirk.Of course there were tons more things he probably needed to know.She just couldn’t think what they were at the moment.

“Will you tell me when we get back to the palace?” he asked, misunderstanding what she meant.

“I just meant that I’m sure there are things I’m not thinking of that you ought to know or would want to know. I’ll tell you if or when they become important or come to me,” she told him warmly.

“Alright. I can agree to that,”

“Did she just say she’s a fairy princess?” Fandral demanded loudly.Apparently they’d wandered back close enough to eavesdrop.Sig blushed and got shy again, curling in on herself. 

Loki glared at Fandral.“Would you shut up, you imbecile?” he snarled, jumping to defend his soulbond.

“But she’s a fairy princess!!” Fandral protested loudly as if it really mattered what her rank was. Or that she was half fae.

“She is of nobility in two different realms. What of it?” he asked Fandral as if Fandral was stupid.He was correct of course.Thor’s moronic friends were morons.Fandral most especially.

Sig groaned since she saw the childlike glee on Fandral’s face.He was annoying and obsessed with the fact that he thought this was some kind of fairy tale.“The courts of the fae are nothing like the fairy stories we were told as children, you moron,” she glared at him.She had to get this point across to him now before he did something stupid.“Do you really think I would have gone through so much to escape if they were? Now kindly shut up about it before I let Loki stab you,” she growled.She was uncomfortable drawing so much attention or being so firm, but he had to know.It was important.

Loki smirked, looking proud of Sig.“You should listen to her, Fandral. I’m about ready to stab you anyway,” he added the last nonchalantly.He was just so casual about the prospect of stabbing his brother’s moronic friend.Sig didn’t blame him.At all.

Fandral wisely shut up. 

The group rode for awhile longer and reached the area of the fourth gate midmorning.Sig put her book away as she got near, since she could sense potential danger from the fae better than any of the others.She noted that Loki was sticking close to her.He was worried after the previous day and how drained she’d been after the last gate.

“There's nothing waiting for us,” she told the party as they approached.She was still nervous.She didn’t trust the apparent safety of this gate.After the last two were so well protected, it seemed strange that this one was unguarded.Just because Tilly was allowing her to close the gates, it didn’t mean she was going to be making it easy on Sig.That wasn’t how Tilly did things. It also didn’t mean the fae were going to let her, or would make it easy on her if they did.

Loki noticed her nerves and gave her a reassuring smile.“We will remain on guard, don’t worry, Sig,”

“I don't like this, not after the last two doorways being so well guarded,” she confessed as she dismounted. They were close enough to the doorway that she needed to walk the rest of the way.The group dismounted to walk with her.

Loki stuck close to her side.“I’ll be right beside you the whole time,” he promised.Sig could tell that he understood her worry.He would do anything and everything to keep her safe while she dealt with the doorways. 

The whole group stood around her and the doorway, weapons drawn and alert for danger as she sliced her palm open, summoning the power she needed to close the doorway. She spread her blood across both of her palms and gripped the edges of the doorway and tried to pull it closed.It wouldn’t budge no matter how much she tugged on it.She cursed loudly and in multiple languages as she let the power fade.It wouldn’t close and wasting power wouldn’t fix anything. 

She turned to the group.“I have to go through.There's something on the other side holding the door open,” she told them while they were all staring in awe at her ability to curse like a sailor.That wasn’t something typical of Asgardian ladies.

Loki looked nervous.He did _not_ want her going into Underhill when the fae were desperate to get her back to rule in the seelie court. “Can anyone go with you?” he asked her gently.He wouldn’t let she face the danger along, not if there was anything he could do about it. 

Sig considered that and finally nodded. “I can take two through with me safely,” she told Loki. She also knew that he needed to determine who was coming with her.“Whoever trusts me the most, or whoever you want to come with us, Trickster,” she told Loki. He would feel better being able to choose who came with the pair of them.Of course, he was going to be one of the two she brought through with her. Thor would be the other one he trusted.

They were also much too close to Underhill and the creatures living on the other side to use his name or any variation of it. Or any of their names. 

Loki nodded and didn’t even consider before he turned to Thor.“Brother, would you be willing to come with us?” he trusted Thor with his life, and more importantly, with Sig’s and her safety. He had fought side by side with Thor for centuries and while they didn’t always get along, the two fought well together. 

Thor nodded immediately.“Of course,” he replied automatically.He seemed offended that Loki had even thought he had to ask.Thor looked to his friends. “Guard the gate on this end,” he told them firmly as he gripped Mjolnir more securely in his hand. 

Sig looked them both over. She hesitated a moment for what she needed to do next to protect the three of them, but she steeled herself to get it done.“I don't know what's waiting for us on the other side.I can give us some additional safeguards, if you trust me,” she told them both.She turned her attention to Loki “and if you don't mind if I borrow a little power,” she could use Asgardian magic for what she needed to and she knew Loki would rather she use his magic than drain herself more trying to use her own. 

Loki offered her his hand without any hesitation.“Take what you need,” he seemed relieved to be able to help her in any way, shape, or form. 

She took his hand and after a small nod of thanks, used his power to cast illusions on the boys.It took a surprisingly little amount of power, mostly due to her own skill and experience.She lengthened their hair braided down past their shoulders, pointed their ears, changed their eye colors to tri-colored.She let the feel of fae magic surround them, disguising them as fae.“That should help at least until we know what we're dealing with,” she told them.She couldn’t help appreciate how handsome they looked, disguised as fae. She was so used to being surrounded by handsome fae men and this felt familiar to her. “Remember, don't use any of our names while we're there.Not even nicknames.It’s too dangerous when they’re looking for me,” she reminded them firmly.When they nodded their agreement, she took Thor’s hand too.She had to have physical contact with them to escort them safely through the doorway. “Ready?” she asked them.They both nodded and let her take the lead.

Sig kept a firm grip on both of their hands to lead them through the doorway.She couldn’t let them go until they were all safely through.Time and locations could get a little wibbly-wobbly when non-fae traveled through the doorways.It was best to have a fae escort.

Sig hoped whatever was waiting for them on the other side wasn’t too awful for the three of she to handle and was beyond grateful that she didn’t have to face this challenge alone.

She never had to be alone anymore.


	28. Chapter 28

Sigyn held on tightly to both Loki’s and Thor’s hands as she entered the doorway.She didn’t know exactly where the doorway would drop them in Underhill, or what they’d be facing when they went through.She also had to make sure she held onto the boys tightly.They could get lost so easily and separated so easily.She was the only constant, since she was fae.It was dangerous for non-fae to travel through the doorways without a guide.As long as Sig was touching them, she could act as guide for them.

When they stepped through the doorway they found themselves in a grassy field under a warm bright sky.It looked nearly identical to Asgard. The only distinguishing feature was the feel of Underhill.The entire realm was made of magic and Sig could feel it to her bones.She could tell that Loki felt the difference as well.His grip on her hand changed as he took in the magic around them.Thor was oblivious as ever. 

Sig dropped the guys’ hands when they were safely on the other side.She cast around with her senses, trying to figure out what was keeping the gate open.She could feel the fae there, she just couldn’t see them.Yet.

“Be careful boys, they’re here,” she told them both. 

Loki gripped his dagger more securely in his grip and Thor did the same with Mjolnir.“We’re ready, Lady,” Loki replied carefully.Thor nodded his agreement.They were all being careful not to use names here.Names had power under normal circumstances.In Underhill it was worse.

In front of Sig?

Names were dangerous indeed.

Beyond dangerous.

So she reached out with her senses and took Loki’s hand when she felt it.She held out her hand toward a spot in front of her, much like Stark did when using his repulsors.“Blast that spot, prince,” she told Loki.He nodded and raised his hand as well and they sent green and purple bolts of magic at the spot she had indicated.The glamour-shield shimmered when their magic hit it.Loki smirked when he understood and they both threw more power at the shield. 

The shield shattered under their combined magic and they could see the group of fae that were waiting for them to step further into Underhill.The creatures who faced them were mostly all hideous creatures.They were half animals, trees, plants. They were creatures with horns and scales who didn’t look fae as she looked fae.She were one of the elven-like fae from the seelie court.These were fae monsters from the unseelie court. 

One of the fae stepped away from the group while Loki and Thor stepped closer to Sig to defend her.This fae looked fae as she did.A tall man with long black hair braided nearly down to his ankles and the pointed ears of the seelie fae. He smirked at Sig.He thought he had her outnumbered. By numbers he did, but by power, she would put her bets on the Asgardians with her.“Look my loyal subjects, it's the lost seelie princess. And a couple of lordlings,” he apparently had accepted her illusions on the boys and believed them to be fae lords.Of course he would.Why would a seelie Gray Lady be out with Asgardians?It made way more sense for she to be in the company of fae lords. “I wonder how much her queen will pay for her safe return.Shall we find out my subjects?” he asked the crowd behind him, who cheered their approval.It really didn’t sound like her return to the seelie queen would be safe in any way, shape, or form.

Loki and Thor steeled themselves at her sides.They would both protect her at any cost, though Loki as her soulbond would defend his own life on top of hers.If she died, he would as well. 

/Kill the speaker.The others should scatter with no leader/ she told Loki as she looked over the crowd of unseelie fae behind the fae lord. 

Sig looked closer at the man and made a quick decision on the best way to get out of this.There was going to be a fight.That couldn’t be helped.Not easily, anyway, but she could give her trio an edge.“I am not going with you,” she told the speaker.She glared at him and saw through him to his truename.“With my men as witness, I name you Sholto, King of the Slaugh, Gray Lord of the Unseelie court, Lord of the Shadows,” his illusion shattered under her words and she all saw the man as he truly was with wings and scales.Loki and Thor would be able to fight him more effectively if they saw his true form. 

She summoned a black-bladed sword, prepared to jump into the battle if the Asgardians would accept her help.The battle would happen. That was a given and she wasn’t some feather-brained noble lady unable to protect herself. 

Sholto roared in rage at his illusion being shattered.Loki smirked.He knew how that felt as Sig had done it to him already. “Capture her!” Sholto ordered his people, gesturing to Sig.

Sig, Thor, and Loki jumped into action as they were swarmed.Loki went straight for Sholto, leaving the rest of the fae to Sig and Thor.“Oaf, stay with the Lady,” Loki ordered as he rushed Sholto.Thor stuck close to her while the two of them fought the underlings.Loki was a faster fighter, which was needed to face down the fae.He could also fight with magic.Thor’s brute-force style fighting would be better on the unseelie creatures.Loki and Thor had fought together for centuries and knew each other’s fighting styles so well and Sig could see how much they trusted each other in the battle.

That didn’t mean she were some helpless princess locked in a tower. 

Sig fought entirely with her black-bladed sword.It sliced through her opponents like butter as it was made of cold iron.One of the few things the fae were weak to was cold iron and she used it effortlessly now.Thor watched her back, guarding her with Mjolnir.

Sig saw that Loki would best Sholto.Sholto had skill.All the Gray Lords did.Loki had more skill, more speed, and more brains.“Trickster!” she called when she saw that Loki had Sholto on the ropes.She threw him her sword.It was the fastest thing that would work and Sig obviously trusted him to entrust him with her iron sword.“Use this!” she told him. 

Loki caught it in one hand without taking his eyes off of Sholto.He swung the blade expertly and in one smooth motion cut the man down.It slid through the fae with no resistance, cutting him in half, and very thoroughly killing him.

As she’d predicted, the second Sholto was dead, his followers all fled and his power faded from the doorway behind her.He’d been holding it open and now that he was dead, she was free to close it once she went back through. 

Loki rushed over to her when the fae had fled.He checked her over, worry clear in his expression.“Are you alright, darling?” he asked a bit frantically.

She gave him a reassuring smile.“I’m alright.Are you?”

He gave her a warm smile. He seemed pleased that she’d cared.“I’m fine. Not to worry.” There wasn’t even a scratch on him.

“Thank the gods,” she said, relieved and took her sword back from him before he questioned it or why it had cut through Sholto and the bodies around them all so easily.

“I’m fine too,” Thor grumbled that neither she nor Loki cared about him.Of course, they’d both been more concerned about their soulbond than Thor.Plus Thor was a god and could take care of himself.He had relaxed now that they were safe from the fae, now that their task in Underhill was done.

“We know, brother,” Loki replied with a smirk and an eyeroll.Thor never changed.

Sig vanished her sword again and took both of their hands again. “We should get out of here before anyone else comes to check on the doorway,” she told them.“Sholto's magic is gone, so I can close the doorway now,”

Loki and Thor both nodded.They wanted out of here and back to safety.Loki brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. “After this gate is closed, we should get some food. you’ll need it after that, Sigyn,”

Sigyn.

He’d said her name.

The one thing she told him not to do.

All of the color drained from her face as she stared at him in horror. 

She glared at him, horrified and pissed as hell.She gripped both of their hands tighter and all but dragged them through the doorway as fast as she could.They were both so shocked that they didn’t fight her as she dragged them through the doorway. 

She glared up at Loki with power sparking around her in her anger.“What part of 'no names in underhill' do you not understand?” she snarled at him when they were safely on the other side and met back up with Sif and the warriors three.

Loki looked horrified at what he’d done and how his silver tongue had slipped.His silver tongue never failed him and yet.And yet.Today it had and he had put them all in danger with that one misspoken word. 

He had put his soulmate in danger.


	29. Chapter 29

Loki looked horrified when he realized what he had done.“I’m so sorry, darling. This is all new to me-” he tried to explain quickly.He looked ashamed of what he’d done, how he’d messed up the one rule she’d given him.At least he had the decency to look ashamed. 

Sig continued to glare at him again.She finally broke free and turned to the others with panic and anger in her eyes.“Get to the horses and be ready to ride out.Now. I’ve got to get this closed,” she snarled at them.There was no time to be nice.Not with the doorway still open.Not with what Loki had done. “Every single fae hunting me will know exactly what doorway we're at,” she reminded them all for the reason for the rule about no names.The others rushed to prepare the horses and mounted while she worked on closing the doorway. 

Loki wisely remained silent as she worked.He knew she was rightly pissed at him.More at the situation than him, though.It was a simple mistake.It was just a potentially deadly simple mistake.

Sig drew a wickedly sharp blade, this one much larger than the belt knife she had been using for this.This blade was one of her battle blades and as long as her forearm.She gripped the dagger carefully and draw a long line down her arm, wincing in pain as she cut deeper and longer than she had for any other doorway.There was no time to pussyfoot around about this doorway.She had to close it.Fast.She heard Loki’s gasp in sympathy and horror at her pain and what she was doing.He didn’t approve.It wasn’t his choice. 

Not this time. 

She gathered more blood, more power to shut this doorway as fast as possible.She ignored the drain, even as she shivered from drawing so much power at once from the power of her blood.She slammed the doorway shut as fast and hard as she could.She was _not_ taking any chances.She drew even more power to charm the area to keep any new doorways from being created here for a long, long time. 

She turned to face the others with the same panicky edge to her tone and expression.“We've got to move on.Now. It's not safe here,” she told them firmly and started back to the horses on shaky legs, ignoring that she was still bleeding.

Loki stopped her, his hands on her shoulders, steadying her.“Wait just a moment, darling,” he told her, though she was nearly too dazed with power drain to understand or comprehend what he was saying.He held her to him while his glowing green hand went over the bleeding wound on her arm, sealing it so it would stop bleeding.Once the bleeding had stopped, Loki’s arm wrapped around her shoulders and he rushed her over to her horses.Everyone else was mounted already. She swung into the saddle of her horse, focused on getting the Hel out of there.“We have to go, now,” Loki directed the others. 

“They shouldn't be able to come through here. I spelled the area to block more gates, but…” Sig wasn’t thinking clearly due to exhaustion and power drain.It was safer to get out of there, just in case.Loki nodded in understanding and she could see he was feeling guilt for his slip up.For the pain he was causing her to clean up his mistake. 

Sig kicked her mare into a gallop, terrified of being caught there.She trusted the others to catch up and keep up.Loki caught up with her quickly.The others followed just behind. 

She finally consented to slow the headlong panicked gallop once they were out of her ability to sense the clearing.She sighed in relief.“We should be far enough away now,” she told the others softly. She was visibly wilting as the adrenaline rush of terror finally wore off. 

Loki looked over at her, extremely concerned over her state.She was holding onto the saddle-horn to keep on her horse’s back and trusting that the others would lead her safely to her next destination.She was too drained to do anything for herself.Blood magic was draining enough, it took magic from the user’s body, and the user’s life-force if too much blood magic was used.She’d drawn the heat from her body, drawn on her fae power, and the exhaustion was bone-numbing as she sat shivering in her horse’s saddle.Loki rode closer and reached out his hand with a cloak in his hands.It was green and fur-lined.And she was sure it belonged to Loki.She reached out a shaky hand to take it and managed to drape it over herself.“We must find an inn or tavern, now.She’s in bad shape,” Loki told the others as she went back to staring listlessly at the pommel of her horse’s saddle, her colors had faded again.

Thor consulted the map, judging their location after Sig’s panicky headlong gallop.“There's a village not far from here,” he told Loki.

“Then let’s go. She needs to rest, desperately.” They could all hear the fear and worry in Loki’s voice as he spoke. 

Thor led the way to the village.Everyone looked concerned at how listless and exhausted Sig looked.She was drained even more than usual from closing that doorway.She was wilted and it seemed her vibrancy was diminished, her very colors faded. 

“You two might want to figure out how to break her illusion spell on you.You look like fae,” Sif reminded Thor and Loki.Sig hadn’t had an opportunity to remove the illusions from them.

“I can try it,” Loki told Sif. He was the master magician of Asgard after all.This was in his realm of abilities.He looked to Sigyn.“Sig?” she blearily looked over at him.“Sig, what do I have to do break her illusion?” he asked once he could get her attention. 

She blinked quickly and tried to focus on the words to make them form a coherent sentence.Really, it was amazing she was staying on her horse.“You can dispel it just like any other illusion.I cast it with your magic,” she told him softly. She hoped her words made sense.They seemed to, since Loki focused for a moment and the illusions on him and Thor both shattered so they looked like themselves again.

Sig was mostly asleep in the saddle by the time she reached the village.She only half-woke when the horses stopped in front of the tavern.She didn’t wake enough to notice any of what was going on around her.Loki dismounted and helped her down from her horse. He immediately swept her up into his arms.She yelped a protest.“You’re dead on your feet, love.And it’s my fault.Let me take care of you,” Loki told her gently.

Her head crashed onto his shoulder, too exhausted to fight him. 

The innkeeper gave Loki a room, which he carried her to quickly and tucked her into bed gently, tucking the blankets and warming spells around her.He kissed her forehead.“Rest, darling.I will watch over you,” he bid her softly.She nodded and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. 


	30. Chapter 30

Loki stayed with Sig the entire time she was asleep.She was out for a light for hours, recovering her strength.It was late afternoon when she finally woke again, cracking her eyes open and sitting up slowly.“Hey Lokes,” she said softly when she woke and saw him sitting on the bed next to her.She gave him a warm smile.

Loki smiled in return, glad that she looked so much better. “Rest well, Sig?” he asked her gently. 

“I did,” she replied softly and moved to get out of the bed.She needed to get to the last gate and she thought she was recovered enough for that. 

Loki put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.“You need to rest for a little while longer, darling. You haven’t completely regained your strength,”

Sig could hear the concern in his tone as well as how stubborn he was going to be. 

That didn’t stop her from protesting. “I'll be fine,” she told him, though she knew the words were unconvincing.She wasn’t technically lying.She couldn’t lie.Especially not to him.

“You need rest, darling. Don’t argue with me,” Loki told her firmly.His tone had darkened, becoming deeper, more commanding, and definitely sexy as Hel.

“Stubborn and bossy,” Sig huffed at him.She stuck her tongue out at him, letting him know that she was clearly teasing.

“I’m only trying to keep you safe,” he replied, gentling his voice.She could hear the guilt in his voice, see it etched on his face. He hadn’t forgiven himself for his mistake. 

“I know,” she said softly.“And that last gate seems to have scared you…” she added carefully, not quite entirely sure of his mood. She was trying to get him to talk about the gate, to get him to open up to her at least.

Loki nodded and sighed heavily.“I made a mistake and said your name. I’m not accustomed to fae rules. It is all new to me. I haven’t had a chance to study more on the subject,” he explained as if that made it better.

“It's alright, Lokes. It was just a mistake,” she reassured him.She’d calmed down a lot now that they were all safe. “Everything worked out ok.Hopefully, after the last gate we don't have to deal with the fae again for a long, long time…” she said wistfully, though she knew that wasn’t likely.Not when she was a Gray Lady and the other Gray Lords would be after her until they got her back to Underhill. 

“We will have to wait and see. After what you told me, they don’t seem to be the type to give up easily,” Loki replied, echoing her thoughts.

She sighed.“They don't give up easily and they live forever unless someone goes out of their way to kill them. But it'll be harder for them to get to Asgard and they won't think to look for me on Midgard for a long time, since they know for sure I'm here,” she reassured him.

“I hope you’re right. I would hate to see something happen to you, darling,”

“Me too,” she agreed with a smirk. Then before he could grump at her to go back to sleep she asked. “Is there anything to eat?”

Loki smiled warmly and nodded. “Would you like me to get you something?”

“That would be appreciated,” she replied softly. “Though I’m perfectly capable of going with you. I’m not weak or helpless…” she reminded him firmly.She couldn’t, wouldn’t, have him thinking her some helpless maiden in need of constant defending. 

He gave her a warm smile.“I know, my darling soulbond. You have more strength than I originally believed. You are truly extraordinary,” he told her with love in his voice.

She gave him a warm smile in return, blushing a little at the praise.“High praise from the prince of Asgard,” she teased to lighten the mood again. 

He smirked in reply. “Indeed. You should count herself lucky,” he teased right back.

“Very lucky, indeed,” she replied with a smirk. 

Loki chuckled. “Get some more rest, darling. We will head to the last doorway in the morning,” he bid her gently.

She laughed. “You promised me something to eat first,” she reminded him and he chuckled.“Or do I have to go get it myself after all?”

“Right. I’ll be right back, darling,” he stood from the bed and left the room. 

The warriors and Thor all looked up when Loki came into the eating room of the inn alone.“Brother, is something wrong?” Thor spoke their concern.He didn’t think Loki would leave Sig alone. 

Loki shook his head. “I’m simply getting her something to eat. Don’t fret, brother. She’s fine.” Thor sighed in relief.One of the serving women handed over a huge tray of food to Loki, enough for two hungry Asgardians.It was noted that Loki hadn’t eaten either.

When he returned, he saw that Sig had moved from the bed, sitting on the couch by the fire, which she had stoked up.She was still shivering as she sat next to it, trying to get warm.She smiled up at Loki when he returned and moved to help him with the tray of food. Loki shook his head and set the tray down on the table in front of the couch.He summoned a blanket with a warming spell and draped it around her.“Better?”

She gave him a warm smile and cuddled the blanket around herself.“Much. Haven’t been able to get warm,” she admitted softly.Her words betrayed how drained she was.It was spring in Asgard and plenty warm. She only couldn’t get warm due to power drain and blood magic.

“You need to rest and recharge. You used way too much blood to close that doorway,” Loki told her knowingly.He knew the basics about blood magic, even if he wasn’t allowed to learn how to use it.

She nodded her agreement.She wouldn’t argue when it would involve lying.It had been too much blood and too much magic, but they’d had to get out of there in a hurry.Loki was also stubborn about her being in no shape to close another doorway.At least not yet.He also felt terrible, so he was overprotectively taking care of her to make himself feel better and try to make his mistake up to her.She would let him get away with it for awhile and contentedly sat next to the fire with her heated blanket and the pleasant company of her soulbond. “So how’d you like your glimpse of underhill?”

“The land itself was beautiful to say the least, and so full of magic.The other fae, were not nearly so beautiful,” he commented, but his comment was a question, questioning why they weren’t elvish like fae like she were.

“Those were the fae of the unseelie court. Of course they weren’t beautiful. There’s a reason I disguised you as seelie fae,” she explained.

Loki looked confused. “And what reason was that?”

“A few actually. One, it wouldn’t make sense for a Gray Lady of the seelie court to be traveling with unseelie fae. Two, you’re handsome enough to pass as seelie fae with just a light illusion, the oaf ?” she shrugged. “He’d needed more work, but even he could pass for a seelie lord. Three, the unseelie court is the dark court. The fae that look like me, nearly like the elves of Alfheim are part of the seelie court, the light court. The monsters and creatures are part of the unseelie court,” she explained.Loki nodded along, accepting her explanation.She went back to her meal when he didn’t say anything else.She was worried she’d upset him.He was hard to read sometimes and she tried to come up with something else to talk about.

“I’m so sorry about what I did in Underhill. You warned me and I still slipped up and it put you in danger,” Loki told her again, his voice full of guilt.

Oh, that was what was upsetting him.

She’d thought that was past them now.She’d forgiven him already.It was just a mistake.

She gave him a warm reassuring smile.“It’s alright, Lokes,” she reassured him. “Everything turned out alright,”

“True. But you are not looking well, darling. You can barely even keep yourself warm,” Loki reminded her worriedly.

She nodded.“Blood magic is taxing. One of the many reasons your mother won’t let you learn it,” she reminded him right back. They both knew all of this already.

“I know. And now I see exactly why,”

“There is also little honor in it as most blood mages use the blood of others instead of their own, making their victims take the consequences and power instead of the mage themselves,”

“Which is another reason Mother refused to allow it to be taught in Asgard,”

“I’m sure it is. That’s why it’s usually forbidden. I am not nearly so dishonorable as to do such a thing,” she made a face, telling him clearly what she thought of people who would do such a thing.

“I know. Even when I’ve offered to help, she always refuses,”

“That and in this case her blood wouldn’t help. Only mine. I’m fae and a Gray Lady. As I said, there are few with the power to open and close the doorways. Only the gray lords, the queens, and Tilly herself are capable of it,” she explained.There really weren’t that many who could open and close the doorways. 

Loki nodded. “I understand, but the offer stands. If you need my help for any reason, you only need to ask. I want to make this easier on you in any way I can.I know there is not much we can do besides keep her safe, but if there is anything, any of us will help you in any way we can,” Loki told her.He really did want to help her in any way he could and she could tell he felt bad that he couldn’t do more.

“And it’s appreciated. At least there’s only one left,” she told him tiredly.

“One that we will not be dealing with until tomorrow morning,” Loki told her firmly. 

Sig sighed heavily.“You’re right,” she admitted softly.She used a touch of Asgardian power to summon her iron sword.“Just in case there are fae around,” she told Loki as she laid it on the table where he could reach it.It spoke to how much she trusted him that she gave him a blade that could kill her easier than slicing butter. 

“Do you think the fae would attack here?”

She shook her head. “I don’t, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared, especially since I’m not in much shape to help if there’s trouble, besides letting you use my blade,”

“I’ll be with you, darling. I won’t leave you alone with how exhausted you are,” Loki knew how low on power she was.

She gave him a warm smile. “Of course you won’t. I expect nothing less of my best friend, and I’d do the same for you in the same situation,” she might’ve been a bit in denial that this relationship was quickly moving from friends to more.But maybe, just maybe… she gave Loki a shy smile.“I know the soulbond doesn’t mean we have to be anything more than friends,” she told him softly, she didn’t want to push him or pressure him.She didn’t want him to feel forced.She then added hesitantly.“Unless you’d like for there to be more…?” she trailed off, leaving the sentence a question that he could answer or not as he chose.

“I would love nothing more for this to become more. But only if you want it. I don’t wish to force you into anything,” he told her, sounding as nervous as she felt. 

She leaned across the couch and kissed his cheek.Her lips were nearly as cold as his cheek and that was never a good sign.“I’d love nothing more,”


	31. Chapter 31

That part of their relationship settled, Sig returned to her meal.They were staying at the inn until morning so she could recover.She and Loki decided to spend some time relaxing before they returned to bed.So Sig curled up with him on the couch and summoned a book to read.“According to the Midgardians, we’re married,” she told him dryly once she’d read for a little while, indicating the book she was reading as the source of this tidbit of information.

Loki raised an eyebrow, looking interested.“I wonder where they got that idea…” he mused, but wasn’t upset by the silly Midgardians. He loved a good story, especially as he was the god of stories.This one was amusing. 

Sig had still been expecting an answer, so she upped the ante.“They also think you gave birth to an eight-legged horse,” she added with a smirk. _That_ should get his attention.

It indeed got his attention.His eyes widened and he looked at Sig horrified and shocked. “That’s ridiculous!” he protested indignantly.

Sig giggled and continued on her teasing of Loki. It was so much fun.He made the best expressions.“Apparently you were also the father of a giant wolf, giant snake, and half corpse girl,” she added with a grin as she looked at the book for confirmation of her story. 

Loki looked even more horrified.“The Allfather rides an eight-legged horse but _I_ certainly did not give birth to it. Where in Hel are they getting these things!?!” he demanded, puffing up like an affronted cat.

Sig laughed even harder at his indigence.“You also apparently cheated on me with a Jotun woman,” she informed him.

“I would never!” he protested, looking and sounding completely scandalized.

She laughed, enjoying her teasing of Loki.He was so easy to rile up.“I know,” she told him warmly.“They’re just silly Midgardians, love.Besides, I’m sure Thor and his idiot friends had something to do with the stories…” she reminded him.She had a feeling that most of the Midgardians’ ideas of Norse mythology was caused by Thor and his idiot friends being drunk and making up stuff while they were on Midgard.

Loki sighed heavily. “Probably. Damn him,” he growled, looking like he was ready to go stab his idiot brother.

Sig giggled. “Did you really have to get his hammer back from the giants disguised as women?” she asked.That story sounded like it might actually be true.

Loki relaxed and actually laughed, amusement lighting his eyes and expression. “Yes. And the oaf could barely pull it off. He had to say that he would marry one of them and they literally set the hammer in his lap. It was ridiculous,” he had a fond expression on his face as he told the story.It seemed it really had had fun with Thor on that occasion. 

“How in the nine realms did he not get caught? You, I trust to be a convincing woman, but him?” she made a face.There was no way Thor would make a convincing woman.Much less a convincing Freya, who was supposed to be the most beautiful goddess.

“It was a close call multiple times. He consistently almost gave us away. The idiot should have known better than to eat the entire wedding feast himself. And drink all the ale,” he grumbled over the memory.“We surely would have been killed if I hadn’t covered up for him,” he grumbled.Sig laughed again and moved to curl back up under her heated blanket to return to her book, but Loki gave you a look.“Darling, you should be sleeping. You need to get your energy back if you’re going to close the doorway tomorrow,” he reminded her gently. It was getting late.

Sig sighed.“You’re going to find me dreadfully dull if all I do is sleep,” she grumbled, but she kissed his cheek and stood to return to bed anyway.He was right, she _did_ need to rest in order to be able to handle the doorway the next day. 

Loki chuckled and she saw the tint of a light purple blush on his cheeks from the kiss, even if it was on the cheek.“I’d rather you be dull than dead, love,” he told her gently.

“I know. Just one more gate tomorrow,” she reminded Loki and returned to the bedroom and the bed.She stayed curled under her heated blanket and left plenty of room for Loki to join her when he was ready for bed. 

*

They all rose early the next morning to head out to the last doorway.The warriors three were getting on Sig’s nerves quickly that morning as they were loud and boisterous and flat-out annoying.Everyone was eager for this task to be over so they could all return home.Sig found herself equally annoyed that the warriors three thought this task for the crown had been remarkably easy.Maybe for them it had been. For her?It was Hel, except for the quiet moments with Loki. 

Loki was keeping a close eye on her as they rode to the final doorway. He looked extremely worried and they both knew how drained she’d been the previous day, how she hadn’t recovered as much as she were pretending. And how Loki was beating himself up for speaking her name and possibly getting her caught.“Are she sure you’re up to this, love?” he asked her gently.

“It’ll be ok. It’s just one more and then we can go back to the palace. It’ll be better to recover there afterwards than to try to wait another day of resting,” she reassured him.She saw that he wasn’t convinced, but he knew her well enough to know that there was no point in arguing with her.She was stubborn and he knew it.

The group quieted as they neared the last gate. 

The woods around them were quiet, too quiet and they all sensed the unnaturalness of it.“Sig, any danger?” Loki asked her softly as they approached the gate.He trusted her to tell them about anything they needed to worry about, and she could sense the fae better than any of them.

Sig shook her head, her eyes a bit glazed.“No, but…” she paused as they all dismounted.“Something doesn’t feel right,”


	32. Chapter 32

Sigyn had a bad feeling about this last gate.She just couldn’t place what it was.On instinct, she unbuckled her iron blade from her belt and handed it in its sheath to Loki.“This is the strongest weapon any of us have against the fae,” she told him as she held it out to him.

“And you’re giving it to me, because?” Loki asked, concern in his voice.He didn’t like Sig giving up her weapon.“You need a weapon as well, love,” he told her.He sounded worried and hesitated at taking her weapon.

“I have other blades,” she reassured him.“However, I doubt I’m going to be in a position to use that one if we need it. There’s nothing here, but something feels off and I trust you at my back,” she told him firmly.She did trust Loki at her back and she needed someone she trusted wielding the blade that could kill her just as easily as it could take out their opponents. 

Everyone saw how much it pleased Loki that Sig trusted him at her back.He took the sword from her and drew it. The sword wasn’t his specialty when it came to weapons, but all warriors of Asgard knew how to fight with them.“Alright, darling. I will be right beside you the whole time,” he reassured her as the rest of the group drew their weapons as well.They took Sig’s anxiety and her bad feelings seriously.They were also there to protect her.That was the job the Allmother had given them on this trip.And no-one wanted to upset Mama Frigga.

Sig nodded and stepped up to the doorway with Loki at her side.She could feel Loki’s anxiety, fueled by her own.He would defend her with everything he had, and not just because they were soulbound and he would die as well, but because he truly cared.

Sig drew her belt knife and sliced open her palm as she drew the power to close the doorway.She reached out to either side of it and grabbed the edges.It took a long time for her to wrestle the doorway shut.It took all of her strength to wrench the doorway closed and more power than she wanted to admit.It was fighting being closed.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the gate was finally closed. 

Except that a moment later, a great many things happen all at once.

Sig crumpled when she let the power go.When the gate was finally closed.All the color drained from her.All of it.Her hair and eyes drained to a light gray, her skin too pale, nearly translucent.The only color she had was the glowing soulbond mark and the blood on her hands.

At the same time, the group found themselves surrounded by the fae after a burst of magic threw their group apart. The fae were all members of the seelie court and included one of the Gray Lords.The Gray Lord could be easily identified by the crown on his head.In an instant he had Sig, thrown over his shoulder barely conscious, with a ring of lesser fae around him to protect him.

Loki growled and pointed the iron blade at the Gray Lord.“Put my soulbound down before I make you,” he snarled as Thor, Sif, and the warriors three regrouped to face the group of fae.Loki couldn’t rush in to attack the Gray Lord while he still held Sig draped over his shoulder.Sig struggled, but she was so weak and drained that she couldn’t manage.That was why she had brought Thor and the warriors.She couldn’t defend herself after closing the doorways.They all knew it.

“This lady belongs to the fae,” the Gray Lord replied, there was no fear of Loki or any of the warriors in his voice or demeanor.He smirked at Loki.“Though I recognize your voice, Asgardian.You’re the one who told us where our missing Gray Lady was,”he teased and Loki stiffened.His slip of the tongue had told the Gray Lords where Sig was and they had figured out where she would go next.It was his fault she was caught now.At least, that’s what he told himself.The Gray Lord turned to the fae with him. “Take care of these... Asgardians,” he turned up his nose at the word as he gave the order to the lesser fae “while I take my leave,”

Loki teleported right in front of the Gray Lord as the fae turned to leave, materializing right in front of him, Sig’s iron blade held to the Gray Lord’s throat.“I said ‘Put. Her. Down.’” he growled, magic flaring around him in anger at this fae for trying to take Sig, and anger at himself for putting her in danger. 

The Gray Lord drew his own blade in a smooth motion, deflecting Loki’s skillfully. “You dare lay claim to a Gray Lady?” he demanded of Loki while Sig was starting to stir enough to think of something useful to do to help.

“She and I are soulbound. You have no right to take her from me. If you try, I will cut you down where you stand,” Loki replied hotly, standing his ground.He would not allow Sig to be taken, not again.

“If you try, you will injure her in the process. That blade will cut through any fae. I will be returning home with the Gray Lady,” the Gray Lord informed Loki matter-of-factly and gestured to his minions to deal with the troublesome Asgardian.Most of his minions were dealing with Thor and his friends, keeping them busy.

Loki’s magic flashed and all of the fae facing the group were bound to the ground so they couldn’t move.He wasn’t pulling any punches.“I am not a weak Asgardian and she no longer belongs to the fae. I will not tell you again. Put her down or I will be forced to make you,” Loki didn’t want to rush in to attack when Sig was in danger from the blade that could kill her just as easily as the other fae.

Sig finally recognized the voice and knew what to do.She stole a touch of power from the soulbond, from Loki.He wouldn’t mind.He’d already given her permission to do so.she needed to add power to her words.“Jareth of the queens ravens, lord of the sea,” she snarled his name and title.“I command you by your truename to put me down,” she growled with as much power as she could add to the words.It wasn’t much. She wasn’t strong enough to pull much power, even with the soulbond.

It was thankfully enough.

Jareth’s eyes went dull for a moment as he set Sig carefully on her feet.He was unable to fight the compulsions of her using his truename against him. She couldn’t do more than that, though, she didn’t have the strength, not after closing the doorway.Loki would have to actually fight him.It had taken all the power she could muster to get Jareth to put her down. 

Loki’s hand wrapped around Sig’s arm and he hauled her to him, his arm shifting to wrap around her waist to hold her to his side once she’d stumbled closer to him.The blade Loki held was still raised and pointed at Jareth’s neck.“Any last words?” he demanded as he held Sig safely to him.He was much more relaxed now that she was safe, even if she was only half-conscious and pretty delirious. 

“The Queen will not let you keep her, Asgardian,” Jareth replied once he could focus again, deflecting Loki’s blade with his own. 

“She will have to go through me and an army of Asgardians before she can take her from me,” Loki snarled.Jareth leapt in to attack Loki with his own blade.All of the other fae were occupied with being slaughtered by Thor and his friends. Loki was a skilled swordsman and could enhance every attack with his magic.He was hampered some by keeping Sig safe when she was barely keeping her feet under her.He didn’t waste time playing with Jareth.He slew him the first opportunity he got, thrusting Sig’s sword through the Gray Lord’s heart. 

Jareth fell to the ground, dead in an instant from the iron blade.

The others were finishing up with the other fae around the same time.Loki vanished Sig’s blade and turned to her, his hands on her upper arms, half supporting her, shaking her a little to get her attention as she was wilting fast, now that the last of the adrenaline was no longer keeping her going.“Sig, Sig are you alright, my love?” Loki asked her when he had her attention. 

Loki looked terrified at her appearance.Her colors had all gone to light gray at best.Even the bright green of her eyes, her unnaturally red hair, had all turned light gray.

Sig thought she answered him.She thought she managed to speak.She wasn’t sure.Her words were slurring with power drain and exhaustion and she wasn’t sure she spoke aloud, but still she tried:

“I really don’t think so…” 


	33. Chapter 33

Loki’s arm wrapped around Sig, keeping her on her feet.“We need to get her back to the palace immediately. Brother, will you take care of her horse? She’ll be riding with me so I can keep her safe,” Loki's words were fast and he trusted his brother to keep up.He didn’t think Sig could stay ahorse even if she were coherent enough to try, especially not at the pace that he was planning on setting.Especially when he was holding her up just to keep her standing.He cursed that they were too far from the palace for him to be able to teleport them home. Even he had his limits. 

At least he had some small amount of healing magic and was planning on using it to keep her stable until they reached the palace.He trusted his mother to be able to help more. 

He prayed his mother could fix it.

He didn’t know how she would fix the after effects of too much blood magic, but he hoped against hope that she could. 

If not, he and Sig were both dead.

Thor nodded. “Go, we’ll catch up,” he told Loki quickly.He could see how bad Sig looked, they all could.It was easy to see when all her color was gone.Loki swept her up into his arms and headed for his horse.Thor went with him and Loki passed her to him so he could mount and Thor handed Sig up to him effortlessly.She too out of it to protest.

The second she was settled in front of Loki, cradled in his arms, Thor took a step back and Loki grabbed the reins, kicking the horse into a gallop. Her head landed on his shoulder when she was settled and she fell into unconsciousness for the trip home.

Loki cursed when he realized she was unconscious and used his limited healing magic to try to keep her from getting any worse on the long ride home.He thanked all the old gods for his horse’s excellent breeding, stamina, and endurance, and promised his stallion proper pampering when they made it back to the stables. 

He would promise anything to get Sig back to his mother as quickly as possible.

*

An agonizingly long ride later, Loki reached the stables of the palace and nearly threw himself from the saddle with Sig held safely in his arms.He trusted the stablehands to see to his horse as he teleported directly to the healing wing.“I need help! Now!” He called.Then in a heartbroken begging added: “Please!”

Frigga herself rushed over and led Loki to one of the beds, gesturing for him to lay Sig down.“What happened?” she asked in the no-nonsense way of a healer. 

Loki tried to focus on her question instead of how bad Sig looked.He was terrified about the fact that Sig still hadn’t woken.“She closed the last doorway and we were immediately swarmed by a large group of fae. The doorway and the battle drained her completely. She passed out on the way here,” his concern and panic were evident in his tone.He didn’t even attempt to hide it. Frigga would see through it anyway.

Frigga nodded her understanding and seemed so confident in fixing this that Loki relaxed ever so slightly.Frigga took Loki’s soulbond marked hand and placed it on Sig’s so her soulbond marks touched.Power flared between them and a hint of her color started to come back.“Don’t rely on that trick too heavily,” Frigga warned Loki.“It is only working this time because it was blood magic involved, and not her fae power in particular,” she added as Sig started to stir.

“Loki?” Sig murmured as her eyes cracked open, as she fought her way awake.

“Stay there,” Frigga told Loki and went to collect the rest of the supplies she had set up.She’d expected Sig to come back drained, but not this drained.She’d expected that Sig would need to recover. 

Loki nodded to Frigga and looked to Sig as he gripped her hand tightly, giving her as much power as she needed through the soulbond.“I’m here, my love. Don’t fret, everything’s alright now,” he soothed.

That wasn’t right, but she couldn’t figure out why. She’d done something wrong, she knew it.“I’m sorry, I …” she trailed off on whatever she were trying to say, whatever she was trying to apologize for.The train of thought was gone.

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Now you need to get some rest, darling,” Loki told her gently as he stroked a loose lock of hair back behind her ear.

Frigga returned with a couple vials of potions.“This is made of moonlight,” she told Loki as they got Sig sitting up enough to drink the potion when Loki held it to her lips.“Which has power restoring properties for the fae.It is not easy to make,” she added as

Sig’s eyes fluttered back shut from the potion, leaning against Loki.He laid her gently back down on the bed.“Thank you, mother,” he sighed in relief when Sig’s colors returned, still muted, but she wasn’t completely gray anymore. 

“She will be just fine, my darling,” Frigga reassured Loki, then smirked.“And you do not have to hold her hand any longer,” she added.Loki flushed a little and dropped her hand, but not before he brought it to his lips to kiss the back of her hand.He was so grateful that she was still alive and doing better. “Get her to a proper bed,” Frigga told him.No one wanted to rest in the healing wing.Especially healers. “When she wakes, let the stubborn thing eat something and take a bath before you make her take the second vial of potion,” she pressed the vial into his hand and he vanished it to safety in his dimensional pocket.“Keep her curtains open tonight.The full moon will do her good,”

Loki nodded his understanding of all the instructions and lifted Sig into his arms, cradling her gently, tenderly.“Thank you, mother,” he repeated.

“She’ll be fine, darling,” Frigga reassured Loki again, noting that he was still worried. “She just needs to rest for a few days after the second vial of potion and she’ll be back to normal,”

Loki nodded again, but looked more relieved and he bent to kiss Frigga’s cheek, his grip on Sig not faltering when he did.“I should get her to bed so she can get some proper sleep,” he paused before he added “Would you be up to eating dinner with me in my sitting room? I don’t wish to leave her alone while she recovers,” he still wanted to spend time with Frigga and definitely didn’t want to leave Sig alone.She’d been through too much already and he just wanted to pamper her.

Frigga nodded.“I will see you for dinner and your lady should wake by then as well,”

He nodded and teleported to his bedroom and tucked Sig into his bed, where he knew she’d be safe.He sat next to her in case she needed him and summoned a book to pass the time.


	34. Chapter 34

Sig didn’t stir until shortly before dinner.She struggled awake, clearly still exhausted, but sat up slowly and gave Loki a small, tentative smile.

Loki looked over at her, looking up from the book he had been reading.He’d wanted to stay nearby, keeping an eye on Sig.There was concern written deep in his eyes.“How are you feeling, love?” he asked her gently.

“Tired, but better” she replied softly.Her words were true.Her words were always true.

“That’s wonderful to hear,” he sounded relieved.Sig couldn’t lie, and especially couldn’t lie to him, so he took her words at face value. “Mother will be joining us for dinner in my sitting room. Do you wish to join us or would you prefer to rest more?” he offered, still gentle, still caring.He was going to be overprotective and obsessively pampering until she recovered.She deserved it after everything she’d been through.

“I should eat something,” she replied.She knew she needed to in order to replenish the power she had used.Frigga’s potion had helped. A lot.But not enough, not yet. 

Loki nodded and climbed off the bed.Before Sig could join him, he’d lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his chest.She was so small and frail looking, despite how he knew she wasn’t frail at all. “Loki~ I can walk!” she protested as he picked her up. 

But Loki was a stubborn being. “I am taking care of you, my darling soulbond,” he told her warmly, but with a hint of concern in his voice.He wasn’t convinced she was well, despite her words.He carried her to his sitting room and settled her gently on one of the couches near the fireplace.He summoned a blanket with a heating spell on it and tucked it around her.“Comfortable?” he asked her as she cuddled up in the heated blanket.She blushed at how much he was taking care of her and just nodded.“I’m glad,” he looked relieved and reassured that his pampering was going over well.“Mother should be here soon,” he added. 

It wasn’t long before Frigga arrived along with maids bringing dinner.Frigga was polite enough to knock on Loki’s suite door, though of course as the queen, she didn’t need to.

Loki lit up when she arrived and went to the door to open it for her, a bright smile on his face.“You know you don’t have to knock, Mother,” he reminded her as he kissed her cheek before he let her in. 

Frigga hugged him and kissed his cheek in return.“I know, but it is still polite,” she reminded him.With a smirk, she added: “Besides, I learned many years ago not to barge in on your brother. I do not care for repeating mistakes,” Loki made a face at what she had undoubtably walked in on Thor doing to make that comment over. 

Unfortunately, Sig had been left unsupervised for a total of thirty seconds and had gotten to her feet to come greet the queen.“Sig, you should be resting,” Loki told her when she reached them and he realized that she wasn’t safely tucked on the couch where she belonged. 

“It’s rude not to greet the queen when she comes to visit,” she reminded him and found herself surprised a moment later when Frigga greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Loki sighed in exasperation, but wrapped his arm around Sig and ushered her back to her couch after she’d gotten her hug from Mama Frigga.Loki made sure she was wrapped back in her blanket and comfortable before he would take the seat next to her.Frigga took a seat on the couch across from them and the maids served their dinner before they disappeared to leave them to their evening.

They had a lovely peaceful dinner with Frigga, discussing magic, goings on of the court, light topics.Not their trip. Frigga would bother Loki for the details later.She’d already gotten most of it from Thor and the others. She didn’t need to upset Sig at the moment.

After dinner, Frigga summoned slices of her famous chocolate cake for them all to enjoy.Sig and Loki both lit up in delight and Sig nearly moaned in pleasure over the long-missed taste of Frigga’s incredible chocolate cake.Frigga smiled fondly at the pair of them, who were grown adults and yet reminding her so much of their childhood selves.Especially when Loki started to pout when his cake was gone, wishing he had more.Frigga laughed. “Some things never change, my darling,” she told him warmly, especially when Sig handed the other half of her chocolate cake to him without thinking twice about it.

Loki looked over at her, asking silently with hopeful eyes if she was sure.He wouldn’t eat her cake unless she reassured him that it was alright. She gave him a warm smile, though her exhaustion was still evident and her coloring still faded and muted.“Yes, I'm sure, love,” she replied and kissed his cheek.In front of his mother. 

Loki blushed and started to devour his cake to cover up his blush and embarrassment.Sig blushed too. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him.She curled back up under her blanket on her side of the couch, feeling bad for pushing him too fast.She saw Frigga’s keen eyes note everything, but Frigga didn’t comment, instead she told she a story about something inconsequential that had happened in the healing wing.

Frigga stayed for awhile longer telling stories, but she eventually stood to leave. “I should leave you to your evening, my darlings,” she told them warmly.“Sigyn, dear, your maids have drawn you a bath in your own suite.Loki, I had some texts that might be of interest sent up and placed on your desk for you,” she told them both before she left.

Loki nodded and walked her to the door, kissing her on the cheek when he saw her out. “Thank you, Mother. I’ll be sure to get Sig to her room,”

Frigga gave him a reassuring smile.“Don't fret, darling.She is recovering fine. And the maids have orders to bring her back to they when they are done with her,” she didn’t want Sig alone while she was recovering any more than Loki wanted her alone while she was weak.

Loki looked reassured and grateful for her reassuring words. “That is a relief.I was so worried about her,”

“I understand.Blood magic is dangerous and I'm sure you appreciate why it is not taught here, now,” Frigga replied with a bit of sternness in her voice.It was a clear reminder that she did not want him practicing it.

Loki nodded quickly and had the grace to look like the obedient prince he pretended to be so well.“Don’t worry, Mother. I have no intentions to learn that particular craft. After what I saw happen to Sig, I’d rather not delve into such dark magic.” His words were true.He had no interest in learning blood magic.

“Good,” she told Loki warmly and kissed his cheek before she took her leave.


	35. Chapter 35

Loki smiled fondly after his mother as she left.When she was out of sight, he finally closed the door behind her.He was far too overprotective with those he cared for, especially his beloved mother. 

Loki turned back to Sig and gave her a warm smile as he bent to kiss her cheek.“Your maids will be here to help you in a moment, darling,” he told her gently, knowing that she desperately wanted a nice hot bath. 

Sig nodded, but she was concerned and couldn’t help the sorrow in her eyes. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you…” she told him softly. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him, or make him uncomfortable.She’d just gotten close to him again over their journey and hadn’t thought anything of kissing his cheek.

“You didn’t, love. I was just surprised is all. I wasn’t sure how my mother would react,” he explained.He wouldn’t lie to Sig.“I care a great deal about you, Sig. I would never be embarrassed of you,” Loki reassured her quickly, cupping her cheek with his hand.

“Your mother just wants you happy,” she reminded him softly.

Loki gave her an adoring smile that was absolutely adorable on him.He looked so much younger and so much more carefree.“And you make me happy, Sig. Honest,”

Sig gave him a small tentative smile in return, but looked away shyly.“I'm also sorry that I used your power without asking during the battle.That was rude…” it was beyond rude, actually, unheard of. The only reason she’d been able to was the soulbond.

He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.“Sig, don’t go all shy on me now. I’m alright with you taking my power. I gladly offered it to you a million times during our mission,” he reminded her.He would have done anything in his power to help her and they both knew it. 

“It was the fastest way to get him to put me down.You couldn't kill him easily until he had.He didn't have the power of truenaming, and I do…” she explained softly.Jareth had been a Gray Lord, but even _he_ couldn’t fight the power of using his truename against him.

Loki pulled her into a hug. “I understand, darling. I’m just relieved you’re alright,”

“I’m alright.Or I will be soon,” she reassured him as she hugged him back. 

The maids came to collect her soon and led her across the hall to her own suite and her waiting bath.While she was gone, Loki picked up one of the books Frigga had sent up and began to read. The books were about the fae and he was extremely curious about them now, for some strange reason, and wanted to learn more about them.About Sig.

She returned to his suite again a long while later, looking and feeling so much better for being clean and dressed in warm pajamas and a robe that had gone suspiciously missing from Loki’s wardrobe.It was huge on her and ridiculously adorable, but that was part of what had made it so perfect to steal.

Loki smiled up at her when she returned, setting the book he was reading aside.“You look refreshed,” he told her warmly from his comfy chair. He didn’t mind at all that his clothes had gotten stolen.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind the chair he was sitting on, laying her chin on his shoulder in a comfortable familiar gesture.“I am, and feeling much better for the hot bath.What are you reading?” she asked him curiously.He was always up to discuss the books he was reading. 

Loki lifted the book to show her the cover.“Mother knows me so well. I’ve been curious about the fae since you returned. I’d like to understand them so that I don’t make more mistakes,” he told her and she heard the fear and guilt in his voice. 

“Your mother does know you well.Though you know that all you have to do is ask,” she reminded him warmly.“I'll tell you whatever you want to know.And I already forgave you for Underhill,” she reminded him firmly.

Loki gave her a small smile. “I know.I just didn’t wish to appear like I was prying too hard,”

“You aren’t,” she reassured him quickly.“I don't mind answering your questions,” she’d placed a slight emphasis on ‘your'.She was still shy around the others and didn’t feel comfortable telling them everything she’d been through. Loki though?Loki was different.She’d tell him anything.

Loki nodded.“Alright. Then may I ask you a few questions?”

She nodded and settled back on the couch to be comfortable while they talked, wrapping her heated blanket back around herself when she did. 

“What are some things I should avoid doing? You mentioned not to speak names and not to thank a fae. Is there anything else?”

“Names are dangerous unless you’re absolutely sure of the trust of the company you’re in,” she agreed.“You saw what I could do to the Gray Lord, and you…” she added that part sheepishly since she’d demonstrated her truenaming ability on him when she first met him again.“But non-name terms of address are fine.And outside of Underhill nicknames are fine too. Don't thank other fae.You know I'm not going to hurt you,” she corrected.She wouldn’t hurt anyone for thanking her, though it was a bad habit to get into with fae around. “And the fae are deathly weak against iron,” she added, which he knew from her iron sword.

Loki nodded. “Is that all?” he asked.

“All the major rules,” she agreed.“You’re a prince, so I don't have to warn you to be polite if you meet another fae.Plus it's unlikely you’d meet another one without me there anyway,”

Loki nodded in understanding.“What does it mean to be a Gray Lord?” he asked curiously, now that he knew she was one of them.

“They're among the most powerful of the fae.Second in power only to the Queens. But each of them hold dominion over some aspect.The queens rule over darkness and light.The gray lords rule over things like the sea, tides, breezes, forests, etc,” she explained. 

Loki listened raptly to her explanation as she told him of the world she’d had to grow up in.“What do she rule over?” he asked astutely.If the Gray Lords ruled over things, then so did she.

She smirked, proud of him for making the connection. “The Names of Things, Bindings, and Oaths,” 


	36. Chapter 36

Loki looked impressed. No wonder she could truename so much stronger than the other fae.“Are you the only one with that power?” he asked.He was always so curious and that didn’t change now.

Sig nodded. “I am, which makes it more dangerous when I truename things and when oaths are sworn in my presence,”

“Why is that?”

She paused and considered how to best explain that.“Well, I can identify anyone and anything's truename, which is dangerous enough, since that gives me at least some power over that being, as you saw me do to Jareth,” Loki was nodding along, so she continued.“The other thing very, very few people know I can do and it takes a lot of power to do so, but I can change something's true name, change their nature entirely,” she told him softly, sharing one of her secrets with him.No one outside of Underhill knew she could do that and she wanted to keep it that way. 

Loki’s brows furrowed in confusion and disbelief. “Change their nature? That shouldn’t be possible,” he protested.

“And yet, I can,” she told him with a shrug. “I've only done it a couple of times, and it's not something to be done lightly, especially since it takes a lot of power to do, but I can,”

“That is quite impressive,” Loki commented and thought it over before he found his next question. “What natures have you changed?” he asked gently, feeling that it might not be an easy story.

She sighed before she started, but she had agreed to answer questions, and she wouldn’t hide her past from him.“Once by accident when I was a child, I changed the nature of one of the hunt hounds so it would be my friend instead of the savage hunter it was being trained to be.I didn't understand what it was I'd done at the time,” she explained.Loki nodded.Accidental magic among children was common and understood.She hesitated before she continued.“The other time, I’m not proud of…,” she told him softly, letting him know how difficult this story would be to tell.

“Tell me when you’re ready, darling. I won’t force you into anything,” he reassured her quickly, making sure she knew that he wouldn’t force or pressure her to tell him things that she wasn’t ready to. He was here to support her, not pressure her. 

She sighed, but pressed on.“It was when I was being evaluated for my place in the court when I came of age.One of the gray ladies had an evening with one of the lords of the unseelie court and her child wasn't up to seelie perfection.She claimed she had been unable to see through his illusion, but that didn't change that the child was born covered in feathers. I was told to change the child’s nature to fit the standards of the seelie court or she would be killed for her imperfection,” she told Loki, admitting what she’d done with sorrow in her tone.She hadn’t wanted to change her nature, but there had been no choice.

“What happened?” he pressed gently.

“I gave the child a new truename,” she told him simply.She’d changed her to be seelie perfect as required.It had been the only way to save her life. “The last time I saw her, she was a toddler with bright gold hair and eyes,” she told him, then sighed.“Her mother catches her staring longingly at the sky though and I know I took it from that girl.She will never fly, because of my meddling,” she told him softly, sorrow haunting her eyes at what she had done, though it was awhile ago.

“I’m sorry, love,” Loki told her gently, pulling her into his arms. 

Sig let him, accepting the comfort he offered.“As I said, I'm not proud of it, but it was a choice between changing her nature or letting her be killed.I made the only choice I could,” she said with a hitch in her voice.It had been a difficult decision at best and she knew she cost the girl her wings and stripped the sky from her. 

“I understand, darling,” she heard his own haunted past in his words. “Some choices are not easy but they must be made,” he told her gently.

She nodded, glad that he understood, though she wouldn’t press him for the details on how.He would tell her when he was ready. “The oath thing can have some interesting results depending on my mood.I've had to witness thousands of weddings since coming into my dominion.Needless to say couples who vow to remain faithful in my presence, will remain faithful,” she told him with a smirk and mischief in her eyes.The fae weren’t known for their fidelity.

“That’s amazing,” Loki told her, sounding truly impressed.

She nodded.“But it takes a touch of power and me actually feeling like enforcing the oaths, so normal everyday promises are usually safe in my presence.Usually,”

“So I should be careful what oaths I make in her presence?” he teased.

“You’re safe.I like you too much.The moron who cheated on his girlfriend and swore to eat a million beetles to prove himself to her should have been more careful who was in the room when he made that oath…” she laughed at the old memory. 

Loki’s eyebrows shot up in shock.“Oh wow. Note to self: never piss off Sigyn,” he teased, laughing at the poor fool’s misfortune.

She giggled.“You’re just now figuring that out?” she asked him just as teasingly.

“No, but that really brings it to the forefront. You can be terrifying when you want to be,” he was teasing, but also shocked and awed that she’d done that to someone.

“It's not my fault he swore to eat a million beetles!” she protested indignantly.

Loki laughed.“Did you stay and watch him follow through?” He asked, genuinely curious as to what had become of the man who had vexed Sig.

She laughed.“That was a hundred years ago.I think he's still working on it.He was halfway through last I heard,”

“Wow. And the girl? Has she stuck around?”

“Hell no. She was never going to forgive him anyway,” she said with a shrug. He’d been moronic to think she would.

“What an idiot. And now he’s stuck eating beetles for a few centuries,” Loki mused. 

She laughed.“So he is.Maybe he'll learn not to cheat again when another girl deigns to allow him to court her,”

“If that ever happens. I’m sure rumors have spread about his infidelity,”

“They have.He keeps having to explain why he's eating beetles, and the fae can't lie,” she reminded him. Sig was among the exceptions to that rule and she couldn’t lie well at all. “The court also learned to watch who was in the room before making rash promises.I may have enforced some just because they sounded like fun…” she added with a hint of mischief in her voice.

He grinned childishly.He loved mischief after all.It was in his nature.“Tell me about them? I love a little mischief,”

“A young lordling promised to profess his love for his lady in front of the entire court.He had no intention of actually doing so and was just saying the words as romantic fluff,” she giggled at the memory.“The poetry he read her was awful and the queen was livid at being interrupted by a lordling demanding he be allowed to recite poetry for his lady,” she told him as she laughed over it.

Loki joined in her laughter. “He must have been so embarrassed,”

“So very, very embarrassed,” she agreed. “And then he was scolded by the queen for making such a rash promise in the first place,”

“Especially with you present,”

She nodded, then smirked when she thought of something.“You’re not going to warn the warrior boys about that skill of mine, are you?” she teased.

“Not a chance,” he replied with a smirk of his own.

She giggled. “Wonder what stupid thing Fandral's going to say,” she paused.“Or what stupid thing you’re going to goad him into saying,” she corrected herself quickly.

Loki chuckled.“It could be anything. That man is the definition of the word imbecile,”

She paused in her laughter.“Hopefully it's not something Mama Frigga will be too upset with me for enforcing,” no one wanted to upset Mama Frigga.

“Don’t worry, love. I wouldn’t do anything to get you in trouble with Mother,”

“No, but Fandral might.I think he's offended I'm not swooning over him like the feather brained noble ladies,” she made a face, letting him know exactly what she thought of that behavior.She wasn’t one to swoon and she liked to believe that she wasn’t one of the feather brained noble ladies who Loki so despised.

“I would agree. Though the noble ladies love the attention,”

She rolled her eyes.“He's annoying and as featherbrained as the rest of them.Not my type,” she made another face to solidify that point.

“I agree. I can barely stand being in his presence for a long period of time without wanting to smite him where he stands,” Loki grumbled.He hated Thor’s moronic friends.With the exception of Sif.

“Or drug him with fairy wine?” she teased with a grin.

He chuckled. “Or that,”

“Speaking of, did you want to try it?” she asked as she summoned the bottle.The magic in the wine would help her recover. It wouldn’t help much, but any little bit was helpful, especially with how worried Loki was.

Loki looked interested.He was curious about everything, including the magic wine. “Sure,” he agreed.

Sig nodded and looked him over, gauging him and his magic before carefully pouring out a small glass.She handed the glass over to him and poured a much larger wine glass for herself.The wine wouldn’t hurt her and if Loki was careful, it wouldn’t hurt him. He took a small sip and she saw in his eyes that it was the sweetest, most delicious wine he’d ever tasted. On top of that it was mixed with magic, making it even better. Loki hmmed in pleasure over it. “That is exquisite,” he purred

She nodded and sipped on her own wine.“That it is,” she agreed.

Loki looked concerned as he took another sip. “How dangerous is this wine?”

“You saw what it did to the morons,” she reminded him.“It’s dangerous, especially to those without magic.It's easy for them to get drunk on it, or addicted to the magic within it.It's also easy to influence them while they're drunk on it.They'll follow whatever orders are given to them,”

He blinked and she saw his worry. “And to those with magic?” he asked, concerned, though he knew she wouldn’t hurt him, the concern was still there.

“Don't fret, love.I wouldn't give you anything that would hurt you.You’ll be fine as long as you don't drink too much of it.And it replenishes magic. Worst it'll do to a fae is get us drunk,” she added before he could ask if she was in any danger from it. 

He seemed relieved but still said: “I know. I trust you,”


End file.
